Our ability to see and sense the world through our vision is often taken for granted. People really do not appreciate the importance of the normal functioning of the eyes. One good example is the eyes’ ability to keep moisture on its surface, adequately hydrating it for optimal use. When the eyes get dry you can experience discomfort and it can be severe enough that it stops you from living your life to the fullest. Even the simplest tasks become arduous as you struggle to maintain focus. Chronic dry eye disease is painful and can cause infections and even vision problems as the damage to the eyes gets more severe over time.

The symptoms of dry eye disease

The symptoms of dry eye disease include eye redness, sensation that there is a dislodged particle in your eye, periods of excessive tearing, burning sensation, scratchy and stinging sensation, eyes get easily irritated with smoke and wind, difficulty in putting on contact lenses, stringy mucus on the lens of the eyes, sensitivity to light, eye fatigue, and last but not the least blurred vision that can get worse when the dry eye disease is left untreated for a long time. These symptoms can be so bothersome that some people can’t function normally anymore in a daily basis. This necessitates treatment as soon as possible.

The causes of chronic dry disease

There are several causes to dry eye disease. The most common cause is the poor quality of one’s tears. Tears have a unique composition of water, oil, and mucus. Each of these has a unique role in moisturizing the eyes. The oil keeps the water component from drying out too easily. The water component cleans out the eyes’ lenses. And the mucus keeps the tears spread out evenly. When there is imbalances on these tear components, dry eyes can become a problem. Another cause of chronic dry eye disease is decreased tear production. This happens when people get older, women reach the postmenopausal age, and medical conditions such as diabetes, lupus, and thyroid disorders. There are certain medications that cause dry eyes like some of the drugs used to treat depression, high blood pressure, allergies, and drugs used for hormone replacement therapy.

Treating chronic dry eye disease

Chronic dry eye disease is treatable. You do not have to suffer through it and let your life be seriously affected. One of the best treatment options is medication. Restasis (cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion) is a specially made drug for dry eyes. This special eye drop can help your eyes produce tears, enough to keep it from drying and causing bothersome symptoms. It is important however to make sure if you are not allergic to the ingredients of Restasis. It is also vital that when Restasis is used, contact lenses must be removed first. Common side effects of using Restasis are temporary burning sensation, watery eyes, discharge, and red eyes just to mention a few. When dry eyes persist you can consult your doctor.