After a long day of staring at your computer screen, your eyes are shot. You may feel your vision to get blurry or have a burning sensation in your eyes. Perhaps in the course of your normal routine you experience a sharp pain in your eye or have excessive watering.

These are all symptoms of the dry eyes syndrome. It is a common condition that occurs when your tears are unable to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes. Tears are produced by the tear film, which is a combination of three layers, a lipid (oil), an aqueous (water) and a mucin (viscous) layer. Normal tears have antibodies and special proteins for resistance to infection.

Tears can be inadequate for many reasons; for instance, dry eyes may occur if you don't produce enough or produce poor-quality tears.

Dry eyes feel uncomfortable in different situations and locations. If you are suffering from dry eyes, your eyes may sting or burn. 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 dry eyes give a very uneasy feeling.

However, treatments can cure this discomfort. These treatments can include lifestyle changes and by eye drops prescribed at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences doctors of The Aga Khan University Hospital.

Factors that increase your chances of experiencing dry eyes include:

Being older than 50. Since tear production tends to diminish as you get older, dry eyes are common in people over 50.
Diet that is low in vitamin A, which is found in liver, carrots and broccoli, or low in omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, walnuts and vegetable oils.
Being a woman. A lack of tears is more common in women, especially if they experience hormonal changes due to pregnancy, using birth control pills or menopause.
Wearing contact lenses.

When to seek expert advise

See your doctor if you've had prolonged symptoms of dry eyes, including red, irritated, tired or pain in the eyes. Your doctor at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at The Aga Khan University Hospital can take steps to determine what's bothering your eyes or refer you to a specialist within the service line.

Disclaimer

The information provided on our website is for educational purposes and not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should always seek the advice of your doctor or other healthcare professional provider.