Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry eye syndrome is a common condition characterized by an unhealthy tear film and a variety of symptoms ranging from mildly irritating to debilitating. The purpose of the tear film is to lubricate the surface of the eye throughout the day. When it does not function properly the eyes become dry, and patients often develop symptoms. Common symptoms include burning, dryness, discomfort, fluctuating vision, excessive tearing, itching, and a sandy or gritty feeling.


Patients develop dry eye syndrome due to lack of tear film production (aqueous deficient dry eye), excessive tear film evaporation (evaporative dry eye), or a combination of both factors. This can subsequently lead to chronic inflammation which causes symptoms and also disrupts the patient’s ability to produce a quality tear film. A cycle of poor tear film quality resulting in inflammation followed by further reduction in healthy tear production is established. This leads to a chronic problem for patients with fluctuations in severity of symptoms.