As well as being uncomfortable, in severe cases, dry eye can gradually damage the surface of your eyes, making the dry eye worse, as well as making you more prone to infections such as styes and conjunctivitis.
Most cases of dry eye are caused by a poor quality of tear film rather than a lack of production of watery tears. In fact, watery eyes are often one of the symptoms of dry eye.
When we blink it leaves a thin layer - the tear film - over the eye. This tear film is made up of oils, water, and mucus, and if there is a problem with the balance of these the tears evaporate and dry out more quickly.
At Norville Opticians Keynsham we understand that dry eyes can significantly impact your quality of life. Whether it is mild dry eye that only causes discomfort in some situations and you would like some relief or severe dry eye that risks causing damage to the corneal surface, it deserves attention.
We can help anyone who is regularly bothered by dry eye symptoms, from advising on how to best manage minor symptoms, (for example when working with a computer,) to obtaining hospital referrals for severe cases at risk of eye damage.
In our dry eye clinic we take the time to listen, and we investigate the underlying causes. We can then tailor a treatment plan specifically for you.
Do you have dry eyes? Do your eyes feels gritty or tired? Are they sensitive and watery in the cold or wind? Does it feel uncomfortable to use a computer for long? Does your vision blur when you read? Any of these could be a symptom of dry eye.
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is a very common chronic inflammation of the eyelid margin. There is a considerable overlap with dry eye and in our dry eye clinic we find it associated with many people’s dry eye problems.
You may see flaking and crusting around the base of the lashes (although often only visible with a microscope), possibly with slightly swollen red lids or loss of lashes.
With Blepharitis your eyes will often feel gritty and itchy, with other dry eye symptoms.
Blepharitis is considered to be an excess of, or over-reaction to, the normal skin micro-organisms living along the eyelid and lashes. This produces a biofilm which traps flakes and debris along the eyelashes.
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