Dry Eye Center · Causes
Healthy tears depend on a stable balance of oil, water, and mucus. When part of that system changes, the eyes may burn, feel gritty, water excessively, or develop fluctuating vision.
Common contributors
The oil-producing glands along the eyelids help slow tear evaporation. When those glands are blocked or not functioning well, tears may evaporate too quickly.
Some people simply do not produce enough of the watery portion of the tear film. Age, certain health conditions, medications, and other factors may contribute.
Wind, dry indoor air, heating, air conditioning, and prolonged screen use can increase evaporation. Concentrated visual tasks can also reduce normal blinking.
Contact lenses and prior eye procedures can affect the ocular surface and tear-film balance. The effect varies from person to person and may be temporary or longer-lasting.
Some medications and systemic conditions can affect tear production, inflammation, or the ocular surface. A complete history helps identify factors worth discussing.
Tear-film quality and production can change with age and hormonal shifts. These changes are one reason dry-eye symptoms become more common over time.
Why evaluation matters
Two patients can both describe burning or blurry vision and still have very different contributing factors. One may have rapid tear evaporation, another may have reduced tear production, and another may have a combination of eyelid-gland, surface, medication, environmental, or health-related influences.
That is why persistent symptoms are better approached through an eye-health evaluation than by assuming every case of dry eye should be treated the same way.
How Dry Eye Is EvaluatedReady for a closer look?
If dry-eye symptoms keep returning or interfere with reading, computer work, driving, contact lenses, or daily comfort, a focused evaluation can help identify what deserves attention.
Request a Dry Eye Evaluation