Are your eyes often red, irritated, or feeling gritty? Do they sting or burn after reading, using screens or spending time outdoors? If so, you may have dry eye syndrome, a condition that affects millions and can cause significant discomfort in daily life.
What is dry eye syndrome?
Dry eye disease is a common problem that occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or when tears evaporate too quickly, leaving your eyes feeling uncomfortable and irritated.
Common dry eye causes include ageing, environmental conditions like wind or dry air, prolonged screen use, certain medications, or problems with the oil glands in your eyelids.
Types of dry eyes
There are two main types of the disease:
Aqueous deficient dry eye: This occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears to keep them adequately moist. It can be caused by ageing, medical conditions like Sjögren’s syndrome, or certain medications.
Evaporative dry eye: This type happens when tears evaporate too quickly, often due to poor composition. Common causes include meibomian gland dysfunction, environmental factors and prolonged screen time.
Dry eye condition symptoms
- A burning or stinging sensation
- Grittiness or feeling like something is in your eye
- Redness and irritation
- blurred vision or eye fatigue
- Sensitivity to light or wind.
If left untreated, dry eye can lead to more serious eye problems, so early diagnosis and management are important.
Dry eye assessment
Our dry eye assessment test involves a detailed examination of your eyes to determine the type and severity of dry eye disease you have. We may use specialised equipment like Blephex or E-eye to carefully evaluate your tear production, tear quality and eyelid health to create a tailored treatment plan.
Treating dry eyes
We offer a range of effective products to manage dry eye effects, including:
Eye drops: lubricating drops to soothe and hydrate your eyes throughout the day
Eye bags: warm compress eye bags that help improve oil gland function and relieve evaporative dry eye symptoms
Thealoz: preservative-free drops designed to protect and repair the eye surface
Scope (Hycosan): specialised drops that provide long-lasting hydration and comfort.
