Dry Eye

Symptoms and Diagnosis

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Symptoms of Dry Eye

Dry eye symptoms may include any of the following.

• stinging or burning of the eye
• a sandy or gritty feeling as if something is in the eye
• episodes of excess tears following very dry eye periods
• a stringy discharge from the eye
• pain and redness of the eye
• episodes of blurred vision
• heavy eyelids
• inability to cry when emotionally stressed
• uncomfortable contact lenses
• decreased ability to read, work on the computer, or do any activity that requires you to use your eyes for long periods of time
• eye fatigue.

If you have symptoms that you think could result from dry eye, consult an eye care professional to get an accurate diagnosis of the condition and begin treatment.

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Diagnosing Dry Eye

Diagnosis of dry eye requires a comprehensive eye evaluation. Your eye care professional will ask you about your symptoms, your health (conditions for which you are treated, medications that you take), your eye history (use of contact lenses, past refractive or other eye surgery), and aspects of your daily environment (exposure to environmental allergens or occupational hazards). He or she will test your vision, check your eye pressure, examine your eyelids and front eye structures, and, if necessary, may dilate the pupils to examine the inside of the eye.

Your eye care professional may order a tearing test to find out if you are making enough tears to keep your eyes moist. In one type of test, called a Schirmer’s test, the doctor may measure your tear production by placing strips of blotting paper under your lower eyelids, usually done after numbing the eye with anesthetic drops. After a few minutes, the doctor removes the strips and measures the amount of tear production.