Skip to main content

Bordering Cedar Park & North Austin, minutes from Lakeline Mall. NW Corner of El Salido Pkwy & 620, behind AutoZone.

Finding Relief for Dry Eye

Home » Cedar Park Eye Care Services » Eye Condition Treatment » Dry Eye Treatment » An Overview of Dry Eye Symptoms and Causes

Finding Relief for Dry Eye

Tears keep the eyes’ surface lubricated, smooth, and clear. With dry eye, the eyes either don’t have enough water in the tears (known as aqueous-deficient dry eye) or the quality of the tears they produce is substandard due to the reduced quantities of oil, and mucus in the tears (known as evaporative dry eye). Both of these can cause inflammation and harm the eye’s ocular surface.

Far more common is evaporative dry eye, which occurs when the meibomian glands along the rims of the eyelids become blocked. This limits the amount of oil in the tears, so the tears evaporate much faster than they normally would.

With aqueous-deficient dry eye, the lacrimal gland in the upper area of the eye sockets doesn’t produce enough of the water component of tears to keep the eyes hydrated.

Both types of dry eye can occur together.

Dry Eye Symptoms and Causes

Dry eye symptoms include stinging, burning, and redness; watery tears that sometimes run down your cheeks; a scratchy feeling, as if particles are lodged in the eyes; and discomfort while wearing contact lenses.

Dry eye can also be a symptom of many medical conditions, including Sjogrens’ syndrome, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, graft vs. host disease (after receiving donated bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells), sarcoidosis, thyroid disorders, and a vitamin A deficiency. Wearing contact lenses, nerve damage following laser eye surgery, and aging can also contribute to dry eye.

Sometimes, the problem is linked to prescription or over-the-counter medication.

Medications that can cause dry eye include:

  • Antihistamines
  • Decongestants
  • Hormone-replacement therapy
  • Antidepressants
  • Blood-pressure medication
  • Acne medication
  • Birth-control pills
  • Medication for Parkinson's disease

In addition, environmental factors such as air pollutants, air conditioning, the dryness in airplanes, long periods staring at a computer or book, tobacco smoke, even cooking fumes can cause dry eye or aggravate it. If you are suffering from red, itchy, dry, or painful eyes, visit Our team of eye doctors for a thorough eye exam. We may test the quality and volume of your tears to better understand your condition and treat it.

Once our practice has determined the true nature and cause of your dry eye, we will create a personalized plan to treat it. This may include a combination of over-the-counter or prescription eye drops or ointments and other in-office treatments. We might prescribe a way to improve your eyelid hygiene and explain how to gently wash your eyelids with warm water. In serious cases we may recommend a range of more in-depth treatments such as light therapy, changing your contact lens prescription, or procedures to block your tear ducts or unblock your oil glands.

Our practice serves patients from Austin, Cedar Park, Brushy Creek, and Round Rock, Texas and surrounding communities.

References:


Book An Appointment
Call Us 512-918-3937

Dry Eye Symptoms and Causes

dry eye quiz thubnail.jpg

SPEED™ Questionnaire

what causes dry eye.jpg

What Can Cause Dry Eye?

woman applying eyedroppers close up.png

Dry Eye Blog

Read Our Latest Posts

girl putting on contact lens.jpg

How Long Does It Take To Switch From Glasses to Scleral Lenses?

world keratoconus day November 10 640×350 1.jpg

Raising Awareness About Keratoconus

Can You Wear Contacts With Corneal Dystrophy 640×350 1.jpg

Can You Wear Contacts With Corneal Dystrophy?

happy scleral lense couple 640×350 1.jpg

LASIK Complications: How Scleral Lenses Can Help You Regain Clear Vision

Patient Insurance | History forms
Join Our Team
Schedule an Eye Exam