Dry eyes

Alternative Names

Home Care

The following steps may help:

• Try artificial tears, available as either drops or ointment. Ointments last longer, but are thicker and can cause blurry vision.
• Don't smoke. Avoid second-hand smoke, direct wind, and air conditioning.
• Use a humidifier, especially in the winter.
• Purposefully blink more often. Rest your eyes.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call your doctor if:

• You have red or painful eyes.
• You have flaking, discharge, or a lesion on your eye or eyelid.
• You have had trauma to your eye, or you have a bulging eye or a drooping eyelid.
• You have joint pain, swelling, or stiffness.
• You also have a dry mouth.
• Your dry eyes do not respond to self-care measures within a few days.

Your doctor will take a medical history and perform a physical examination, including a careful eye examination.

To help better understand your dry eyes, your doctor may ask the following:

• How long have you had dry eyes? Does it involve one or both eyes?
• Do you have it all of the time or does it only occur at certain times, with certain activities, or in certain places?
• Does the dryness seem related to wind, dust, chemicals, sun, or light exposure?
• Does it affect your vision?
• Does it cause pain?
• Do your eyelids close easily?
• Have you noticed any drainage from your eyes?
• Does anything make your dry eyes worse?
• Does anything make your dry eyes better?
• Have you tried artificial tears? Do they help?
• Are you taking any medications? Which ones?
• Have you had surgery or an injury to your eyes or nose?
• Do you have allergies?
• Have you been using any new cosmetics?
• Do you have any other symptoms like dry mouth or joint discomfort?

References

Foulks GN. The evolving treatment of dry eye. Ophthalmol Clin North Am. 2003;16(1):29-35.

Mahoney EJ, Spiegel JH. Sjögren's disease. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2003;36(4):733-745.