Dry Eye Public Service Announcement

I have mentioned things about dry eye in the past, but it is such a common issue in our clinics that it bears discussing frequently. There are a lot of different symptoms of dry eye, including intermittent blurry vision (vision often changes with blinking), feeling of an object in the eye (“piece of dirt”), tearing, and pain. All the symptoms are usually intermittent, though bad episodes can last for several days. It is very common for patients to come in with new eye irritation and say, “I’ve never had anything like this before in my life.” Often that is because the frequency of dry eye increases with increasing age. My recommendation to friends and family with these symptoms is to try lubricating the eyes with artificial tears during the day (usually a minimum of one drop four times per day) and eye ointment at bedtime. If that doesn’t work, it is often advisable to seek medical eye care.