Dry eyes is a common condition that occurs when your tears aren’t able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes. Tears can be inadequate for many reasons. For example, dry eyes may occur if you don’t produce enough tears or if you produce poor-quality tears.
Dry eyes feel uncomfortable. If you have dry eyes, your eyes may sting or burn. You may experience dry eyes in certain situations, such as on an airplane, in an air-conditioned room, while riding a bike or after looking at a computer screen for a few hours.
For most people with occasional or mild dry-eye symptoms, it’s enough to regularly use over-the-counter eye drops (artificial tears). If your symptoms are persistent and more serious, you have other options. What your doctor will recommend (which can include drugs to reduce eyelid inflammation, tear-stimulating medications and other alternatives) depends on what’s causing your dry eyes.
—Sources: Mayo Clinic
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Health Connection, March 2016
Share with Friend
