Dry eyes are an unpleasant issue that can cause your eyes to feel dry and just plain hurt. It can contribute to eye fatigue and interfere with your ability to wear contacts. So what do you do if you have dry eyes? And how do you know if you even have it and should see an eye doctor? At Lavenburg Medical Group, serving Newark and the neighboring communities, we have some helpful information about dry eyes.
General Information
Our ophthalmologist would like you to know that dry eye is just what it sounds like -- a condition that occurs when your eyes are dry. However, the symptoms go beyond that. For instance, your eyes may hurt, burn, or sting. You may notice that they appear red when you look in a mirror. It's possible you'll have stringy mucus in them.
Dry eye is notorious for causing eye fatigue and sensitivity to light. Sometimes, your eyes will tear up excessively in an effort to combat the dryness. You might also feel like something is in your eye or experience blurry vision.
Causes
Most often, dry eye happens for one of three reasons. First, your eyes may not produce enough tears. Second, your tears may be of poor quality and not have the right consistency to hydrate your eyes properly. Third, your tears may evaporate before they have a chance to hydrate your eyes.
With that being said, age may play a role in the process. As you age, your tear ducts may not produce enough fluid. If you take certain medications or have certain medical conditions, you could develop dry eyes.
Treating Your Eyes
Fortunately, when you visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist from our practice, you can almost instantly receive a diagnosis based on your symptoms. In some cases, though, our practitioner will want to conduct testing on your tears.
The treatment you receive may include eye drops to stimulate tear production, hydrating eye drops, eye drops from your own blood, or a tear duct plug. The optimal treatment for you depends on the cause, severity, and any health conditions you have. It also depends on what treatments you've tried in the past, if any.
Contact Lavenburg Medical Group in Newark, DE
Lavenburg Medical Group, serving Newark and the nearby regions, offers treatment for dry eyes. You may see either an optometrist or an ophthalmologist to help you find a treatment that can assist you in finding relief. Book an appointment with us today by calling 302-993-0722.