By Michael Boehm, M.D.

“My eyes often burn, look red, and feel dry by the end of the day.”

“I have to blink a lot while reading to clear my blurry vision.”

Do these statements sound familiar to you?  Have symptoms like these become an uncomfortable nuisance in your daily routine at home or work?  Do you have trouble finding satisfactory relief when your eyes feel this way?  Like millions of other patients of all ages, you may suffer from dry eye disease.

The tears on the surface of our eyes are actually a complex mixture of three separate but essential components – the aqueous (tear), mucus, and oil layer.  A normal tear lake with a proper balance of all three components is essential to maintain the health and function of the external eye, including preserving stable vision.  Dry eye disease is diagnosed when either the quantity or quality of this tear layer is abnormal, leading to a wide range of symptoms and even physical damage to the surface of the eye.

The underlying causes of dry eye disease are extensive.  The most common cause, diminished production of natural tears, is associated with aging, inflammation of the tear-producing lacrimal gland (Sjogren’s syndrome), and certain types of arthritis.  Hormonal changes, such as menopause in women, is a significant factor contributing to dry eye disease.  Systemic medications are also a cause of reduced tear production.  Blood pressure medications, antidepressants, antihistamines, and decongestants are just a few examples of medications known to decrease natural tear production.  Certain eyelid conditions, such as blepharitis and oil (meibomian) gland dysfunction can contribute to dry eye syndrome by decreasing the quality of our tear layer.  Other external factors, such as exposure to cigarette smoke, dry or windy environments, and contact lens use, also play a role in this medical condition.

As these medical and environmental factors affect the quantity and quality of our natural tears, patients experience a variety of chronic symptoms, including dryness, burning, itching, foreign body sensation, blurry or fluctuating vision, and red eyes.  These symptoms can have a frustrating and uncomfortable impact on your daily activities.  Where can you find relief for your eyes? 

Treatment for dry eye disease has evolved in the last few years as we have gained a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms.  Diminished quantity or poor quality tears leads to inflammation on the surface of the eye, including the eyelids, conjunctiva, and cornea.  Traditionally, artificial tear drops in a variety of formulations have been used to supplement reduced tear production and transiently treat symptoms.  Use of nutritional supplements such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids in proper formulations such as fish liver oil also may be beneficial.  While these first-line treatment options may be effective for patients with mild symptoms and disease severity, they often do not meet the needs of many patients with more chronic symptoms.  However, there is a potential solution for millions of chronic dry eye patients who battle this condition on a daily basis.  RESTASIS™ (topical cyclosporine) is the only FDA approved prescription eye medication for dry eye, and offers us a chance to treat this condition at its core.   More than just treating symptoms, RESTASIS™ combats the disease itself by helping the eyes produce healthier and more abundant tears. Since the cause of this condition can involve multiple ocular and medical factors, a comprehensive eye examination with your ophthalmologist is recommended to discuss dry eye disease and your treatment options.

If you would like to learn more about RESTASIS™ and the other potential treatment options for dry eye visit www.esaeyecare.com or www.restasis.com . 

Eye Surgeons Associates located in Bettendorf, Muscatine, Rock Island, Silvis and Geneseo, provides comprehensive eye care for the entire family, for a lifetime. Our medical doctors are fully fellowship trained in their specialties and board certified. For more information visit us online at www.esaeyecare.com. Michael Boehm, M.D. is a board certified comprehensive ophthalmologist at Eye Surgeons Associates with a fellowship in cornea and external diseases and a specialty interest in dry eye.