DRY EYE

Human Tear Film

The surface of the eye is continuously bathed by a layer of tear which keeps the eye wet, protects the eye against infection and assists in healing of surface wounds. In the condition called dry eye syndrome, the quality and/or quantity of tear is abnormal, and this results in damage of the ocular surface, irritation of the eyes or visual disturbances.

What are the causes of dry eye?

Dry eye may be caused by or aggravated by a variety of factors, including hormonal change, age, viewing or occupational habits, ocular surgery, certain ocular and systemic diseases and medications, as well as a condition of the eyelid called Meibomian gland disease. Your doctor will advise you whether you have any ocular and systemic diseases or drugs that can aggravate dry eyes and what to do in those circumstances. In many cases no obvious reason for dry eyes can be found.

Figure 1. Interpalpebral corneal fluorescein dye staining in a patient with dry eye

What can you do about dry eye?

Changing of environment such as reduced contact lens wear, lowering of height of computer monitors, less exposure to air conditioning, sufficient sleep and a balanced diet with sufficient Omega-3 lipid components can have a significant impact on the control of dry eyes.

In cases of dry eye that do not have clinical damage to the ocular surface (what your doctor refers to as staining or keratitis), it is considered safe for patients to attempt to control the condition using over-the-counter medications called lubricants without regular visits to healthcare practitioners.

What is the role of eye doctors in the management of dry eye?

The role of eye doctors in dry eye includes the following: assessment and treatment for other conditions that may look like or coexist with dry eye, for example, allergic eye diseases, eye infections, loss of sensation of the cornea, and eyelid deformity; assessment for dry eye related to systemic illnesses such as thyroid eye disease, counselling on the eye related interventions that may aggravate the condition, for example corneal surgery for myopia, assessment of dry eye severity, and treatment of more severe dry eye using more sophisticated methods such as steroids, punctal occlusion or surgery to close the lids called tarsorrhaphy.

What research is being done here in dry eye?

The dry eye service at the Singapore National Eye Centre is involved with the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and research into dry eye and associated conditions. Some of the latest technology and know-how related to this field are available in this service. Although there is currently no definitive cure for most types of dry eye, there is very often a satisfactory way of controlling this condition via a personalised regime of medications, correction of aggravation factors and lifestyle modification.

For more details on dry eye research, please refer to the Singapore Eye Research Institute section on dry eye. For on-line resources and support group on dry eye, click here. For information related to Sjögren syndrome foundation, click here.

Please visit the following relevant links:

Outcome Results on Corneal & External Eye Disease Procedures
Corneal & External Eye Disease Clinical Staff
I Want an Eye Examination / an Appointment
Care After Corneal Transplant
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Read more on related Eye Conditions and Treatments:

Corneal Infections
Dry Eye
Eye Infections
Pterygium