Dry Eye

Sometimes your eyes don’t make enough tears or the tears evaporate too fast because they don’t have the right amount of compounds in them. This is called dry eye. Up to 5% of Americans complain of some form of dry eye. Individuals who wear contact lenses or have undergone LASIK or other types of refractive surgery commonly complain of dry eye. The condition is more common in women and is more common and severe in older persons.

Dry eye may occur by itself, or the surface of the eye may be inflamed at the same time. This condition can make it harder for you to carry out certain activities such as reading for long periods or looking at a computer screen. You may also be less comfortable in dry environments.

Mild cases of dry eye may go away on their own. However, if dry eye persists and goes untreated, it can cause ulcers or scars on the surface of the eye (cornea). This can be painful and may lead to some vision loss. Permanent loss of vision from dry eye, though, is uncommon.

Symptoms of Dry Eye

Dry eye can lead to different symptoms, including:

  • Being unable to read, work on the computer or do other eye-intensive activities for long periods
  • Blurry vision
  • Burning or stinging of the eye
  • Discharge from the eye
  • Discomfort while wearing contact lenses
  • Eye fatigue
  • Feeling like there is something in your eye
  • Eyelids that feel heavy
  • Not being able to cry, even when upset emotionally
  • Periods of excess tears followed by very dry eyes
  • Redness or pain in the eye

If these symptoms persist or grow worse, contact your eye doctor. He or she will identify the underlying cause of dry eye and offer treatment options.

Causes of Dry Eye

Many factors can lead to dry eye, both temporary and ongoing (chronic), including:

  • Allergies
  • Chemical and heat burns of the membrane that covers the eye and inside of the eyelids (conjunctiva)
  • Chronic inflammation of the conjunctiva or the lacrimal gland
  • Cosmetic eyelid surgery
  • Diseases of the skin on or around the eyelids or the glands in the eyelids
  • Exposure to irritants, such as chemical fumes, tobacco smoke or drafts from heating or air conditioning
  • Hormone replacement therapy
  • Immune system disorders such as lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis
  • Long-term contact lens wear
  • Medications such as antidepressants, antihistamines, birth control pills, certain blood pressure medicines, nasal decongestants, Parkinson’s medications and tranquilizers
  • Not blinking enough while looking at electronic screens
  • Pregnancy
  • Refractive surgery, such as LASIK
  • Thyroid disease
  • Vitamin deficiency or excess

Treatments for Dry Eye

Several treatments are available to relieve symptoms of dry eye, including:

  • Anti-inflammatory medication such as cyclosporine or short-term use of corticosteroid eye drops
  • Dietary changes or supplements, such as adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet
  • Managing the underlying condition with medication or other treatments
  • Plugging the tear ducts to keep the tears from flowing away, either temporarily or permanently
  • Switching medications that may be causing dry eye
  • Wearing contact lenses less frequently or switching to another type of lens

If you have dry eye, you may also be able to take steps to reduce the symptoms, such as by:

  • Avoiding dry conditions
  • Filtering the air in your house with an air cleaner
  • Keeping the moisture in your house at a comfortable level with a humidifier
  • Resting your eyes periodically during vision-intensive activities such as computer use or reading
  • Using over-the-counter artificial tears, gels or ointments
  • Wearing close-fitting glasses or sunglasses to prevent evaporation of tears

For more information about treating dry eye or about dry eye in general, contact us today.

Photophobia

Do you find yourself squinting or closing your eyes in bright light? It could be photophobia or acute light sensitivity. Eyes are designed to respond to light, but certain conditions can create light sensitivity. Exposure to sunlight, fluorescent light, incandescent light and other bright light sources can irritate a person who suffers from this condition.

Photophobia Symptoms

Photophobia can affect anyone regardless of age or gender. It is not an eye disease itself, but is typically a sign of another eye problem. It can be a temporary occurrence or a recurring problem.

When a person suffers from photophobia, they can experience extreme discomfort in bright light. Outward symptoms include squinting, excessively closing eyes, excess tear production, and a burning sensation in the eyes. The severity of light sensitivity is proportional to the seriousness of the underlying eye problem behind the photophobia.

Photophobia Causes

Multiple eye diseases and conditions can be a root cause for photophobia. A simple infection or inflammation can irritate the eye and produce light sensitivity. Migraines or other severe headaches can also lead to photophobia.

Eye color can influence light sensitivity. People who have lighter colored irises experience greater sensitivity than people with darker irises. Extra pigment can serve as a protective barrier against brighter lights.

Sometimes photophobia is directly related to a serious eye problem. It can be a symptom of various eye diseases and conditions, including:

  • Corneal abrasions
  • Uveitis
  • Dry eyes
  • Contact lens irritations
  • Sunburn
  • Medications
  • Detached retina
  • Refractive surgery
  • Color vision defects
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Keratitis
  • Iritis
  • Botulism

Photophobia Treatments

If you are suffering from photophobia, the best thing to do is to treat the underlying cause. Once the factor triggering light sensitivity is dealt with, photophobia will usually go away and your eyes will return to their normal state.

Some prescription medications can cause light sensitivity. If that is the cause of your photophobia, talk with your physician about replacing it with another medication that does not cause that side effect.

You can wear protective eyewear while outdoors or in brightly lit rooms. Sunglasses with polarized or photochromic lenses reduce glare and also block UV rays that can damage eyes. Avoid bright light or harsh light whenever possible if you are suffering from photophobia.

Extreme cases of photophobia may require prosthetic contact lenses colored to resemble your eyes. These lenses reduce the amount of light entering your eyes and alleviate sensitivity.

Eye Twitching

Few eye issues are as simultaneously subtle and annoying as a twitch that comes on suddenly and/or recurs frequently. A twitching eyelid may not appear visible to the people around you at all, but it can make you feel highly self-conscious and drive you to search for the cause and the cure. Unfortunately, there are so many possible reasons for the twitching that figuring out how to stop it can prove a most challenging task. The good news is that most of the reasons for eye twitching pose no serious threat to your ocular or neurological wellbeing.

Causes of Eye Twitching

Perhaps most common recognizable cause of eyelid twitching is dry eye syndrome. Dry eyes may afflict you if you spend lots of time staring at a computer screen, you are exposed to air conditioning or wind, or you have a medical condition that impairs tear production. Using eye drops and reducing your exposure to dryness triggers may not only help your eyes feel better but also eliminate the twitching. Other common causes include eyestrain, fatigue, caffeine abuse, and allergic reactions. Your twitching eyelid may also be an indicator of a condition known as blepharitis. Blepharitis is an irritation caused by inflamed oil glands next to the eyelashes. Your eye care professional can recommend several home remedies to help you get this problem — and hopefully the twitch — under control.

Neurological problems can cause eye twitches as well. Just as the nervous system’s countless branches send motor signals to every part of the body, certain nerves send commands to the muscles in the face, including the eyes and eyelids. A variety of issues can interfere with optimal nerve signaling, causing the muscles attached to these nerves to go into spasm. Your twitching eye could therefore be part of a larger facial tic known as a hemifacial spasm, especially if the eye closes completely with each twitch. This condition is sometimes treated with Botox injections. Other neurological conditions can also affect the facial nerves to produce twitching motions.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Less commonly, eye twitching can be a sign of an ocular disorder that requires treatment by an eye doctor. These conditions include uveitis (an inflammation of the iris), conjunctivitis (the infamous “pinkeye”), and entropion (inwardly-turned eyelashes, mostly seen in older patients). Your eye care provider can discuss your symptoms and medical history with you to help you figure out how best to cope with that annoying twitch.

Flashers and Floaters

Many people experience small, dark, cobwebby shapes drifting across their field of vision. These floaters are especially common as people age. Flashes, a similar phenomenon, are quick flickers of light. Both are usually harmless, but, occasionally, can be a sign of serious eye troubles.

Causes

Vitreous humor is a clear gel that fills the rear two-thirds of your eyeballs. With age, vitreous becomes more liquid and can form stringy clumps. Tiny cell clusters cast shadows on your retina. These are what you see when you notice a floater. If you try to look directly at them, they float away. When your eyes stop moving, floaters drift around.

About 25 percent of people have floaters by the time they reach their 60s. The number of people in their 80s who experience floaters increases to about two-thirds. Very nearsighted people are more likely to develop floaters. Floaters are also more common after eye injuries, after cataract surgeries and in people with diabetes.

Symptoms may include:

  • Dark, floating spots in your vision that appear as flecks or knobby, clear strings of floating material
  • Spots that you notice more when looking at a plain background, such as the sky or a blank movie screen
  • Moving spots that you cannot look at directly
  • Spots that come and go from your line of vision, eventually drifting away

Inflammation or bleeding in the eye can also cause floaters. Occasionally, floaters result from a torn retina, which is a serious condition requiring prompt treatment.

Flashes

When tiny vitreous fibers pull on your retinal nerve cells, you may sense a quick flash of light. This might also look like multiple flashes over a wider area. Flashes often occur in conjunction with floaters. If you experience flashes, contact your ophthalmologist. Flashes may be a symptom of retinal detachment.

Managing Floaters and Flashes

In rare cases, floaters are a symptom of a serious problem with the retina. If you have any of the following symptoms, see your eye doctor immediately:

  • Sudden onset of flashes and / or floaters
  • One-sided, gradual shading, like a curtain being drawn across your field of vision
  • Sudden decline in clear, central vision

However, as long as your floaters are not related to retina damage, they are unlikely to be more than a nuisance. In time, they could disappear and become less noticeable, or they might stay and become even more annoying.

You can try this easy, non-surgical way to get temporary relief from floaters: Look up, down, left and right. This may shift the floater out of your field of vision.

Some patients may be suitable candidate for laser surgery to treat benign floaters. Nonetheless, the possible risks of this treatment option should be weighed against the benefits.

Concerned about floaters, flashes or other symptoms? Call us today for a comprehensive vision exam. We can evaluate your eye health, help identify the cause of your floaters and / or flashes and suggest appropriate treatment options, based on your individual anatomical, visual and lifestyle needs.

Ptosis

Ptosis (TOE-sis) refers to an upper eyelid that droops and can occur in children or adults. The droop may be hardly visible, or it could cover the entire pupil. Depending on the severity of the droop, it could interfere with vision. People with ptosis may try to lift the eyelids or tilt their heads back to see more clearly.

Causes of Ptosis

Most commonly, ptosis develops as part of the aging process, as the muscle tendon stretches or becomes separated from the eyelid. The tendon can also be affected by trauma, cataract surgery, or other corrective eye surgery. In some cases, a baby may be born with ptosis (congenital ptosis). A droopy eyelid can also be caused by a neurological disorder, an eye tumor, or a systemic disease such as diabetes.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Your eye care professional will examine your eyelids carefully by taking detailed measurements of the height of your eyelids. He or she will also assess the strength of your eyelid muscles.

For childhood ptosis, surgery may be required to improve vision and cosmetic appearance while preventing or reducing future vision problems. The surgical procedure involves tightening the muscle that lifts the affected eyelid. In cases of severe ptosis with a very weak muscle, the doctor can attach or suspend the eyelid from under the eyebrow so that the forehead muscles lift the eyelid.

In adults, ptosis treatment usually needs surgery. In milder cases, creating a small tuck in the lifting muscle and removing excess eyelid skin is sufficient to raise the lid. However, more severe ptosis requires reattaching and strengthening the muscle.

Sleep in the Eyes (Eye Discharge)

Sometimes referred to as “sleep” or eye matter, eye discharge that appears in normal consistency upon waking is a typical part of your body’s defense mechanisms, protecting your eyes from bacteria or other irritants. Eye discharge that appears in abnormal consistency, color, or quantities might be a sign of a more serious condition and should be brought to the attention of an eye care profession right away.

Causes of Abnormal Eye Discharge

Abnormal eye discharge usually indicates an underlying condition — sometimes bacterial, viral, or allergy related. One of the most common causes of abnormal eye discharge is conjunctivitis (pink eye), which refers to the inflammation of the conjunctiva (the lining of the underside of the eyelid and white of the eye). Conjunctivitis occurs due to contagious bacterial and viral infections as well as allergies. In addition, conditions such as ocular herpes, Acanthamoeba keratitis, blepharitis, and styes also lead to excessive or abnormal eye discharge.

Some issues which are not infectious can lead to abnormal eye discharge as well. These include chronic dry eyes, a blocked tear duct, sensitivity to contact lenses, an eye injury, and a corneal ulcer.

Abnormal Eye Discharge Symptoms

Symptoms of abnormal eye discharge include discharge which might be thicker, gooier, or more excessive than normal. Abnormal eye discharge might also be a different color than normal such as green, yellow, or even grey. In addition to these variances, one might notice the following symptoms:

  • dry eyes
  • watery eyes
  • itchy eyes
  • eye pain
  • double or blurred vision
  • red eyes
  • light sensitivity (photophobia)
  • swollen eyelids

If a bacterial or viral infection is present, symptoms such as body aches, chills, fever, sneezing, and/or coughing might accompany the above-mentioned eye symptoms.

A change in normal eye discharge alone or accompanied by any of these symptoms should be brought to an eye care professional’s attention, as it is usually the sign of a more serious underlying problem.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Eye care professionals diagnose the cause of abnormal eye discharge by looking at the patient’s medical history and performing an eye exam. If a corneal ulcer is present, the eye care professional will likely test a sample to determine whether or not an infection is present.

Treatment for abnormal eye discharge depends on the diagnosis of the underlying cause, and might include oral antibiotics, antibiotic eye drops, antihistamines, or antihistamine eye drops. To alleviate symptoms at home, eye care professionals often recommend using a warm, wet compress.

Swollen Eyelids

Swollen eyelids are a fairly common eye condition caused by inflammation or excess fluid in the connective tissues surrounding the eye. Depending on the cause, swollen eyelids can be painful or not painful and affect the upper eyelid, the lower eyelid, or both. Swollen eyes can be caused by many different factors, including allergies, styes, a blocked gland, traumatic eye injury, and conjunctivitis (“pink eye”).

Causes of Swollen Eyelids

In some cases, swollen eyelids may be symptomatic of a bigger health problem, such as orbital cellulitis (a sudden infection of the tissue surrounding the eye), Graves’ disease (an autoimmune eye disorder associated with abnormalities of the thyroid gland), and ocular herpes (a recurrent viral infection that can cause inflammation and scaring of the cornea). In general, swollen eyelids are accompanied by symptoms such as itching or scratching sensations, excessive tear production resulting in watery eyes, obstructed vision, redness of the eyelid, eye discharge, and eyelid dryness or flaking. Pain generally accompanies swollen eyelids that are caused by an infection.

Many people also use the term “puffy eyes” interchangeably with swollen eyelids. However, for medical professionals, swollen eyes are generally used to describe an immune system response to an allergy, infection, or injury. Puffy eyes typically refer to eyes that are swollen from external reasons, such as water retention, a lack of sleep, or even genetic traits like dark circles under the eyes.

Eye allergies are the most common cause for swollen eyes. In this case, the swollen eyes are symptomatic of the body’s overreaction to a foreign substance, known as an allergen. Common allergens that can trigger swollen eyes include pollen, dust and pet dander. Some types of contact solution and eye drops may also trigger an allergic reaction in certain individuals.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The treatment of swollen eyes depends on the cause. Generally, if eyes are swollen due to allergies, antihistamine drops or oral allergy medication will be an effective treatment. For severe allergic reactions, an eye care professional may also recommend mild steroid drops. Ocular herpes and conjunctivitis are treated with anti-viral medications or anti-inflammatory eye drops, ointments, or antibiotics.

For at home care, remove contact lenses (if you wear them) until the swelling stops. Applying a cool compress can relieve swelling and pain. Most importantly, do not rub the eyes as this will only aggravate the condition. Contact an eye care professional should conditions worsen or pain intensify, in order to rule out the possibility of a more serious cause for this pain.

Tearing

Suffering from watery eyes, also known as tearing, or epiphora, is a condition that happens when the eyes make too many tears or produce them constantly. There are many causes of excessive tearing, but only a few are signs of more serious conditions.

Causes of Excessive Tearing

One of two things often causes excessive tearing. One cause of excessive tearing is the eye producing too many tears. This can happen when there is inflammation or irritation of the eye, such as with allergies or eye infections. In this case, the excess tears are the body’s way of trying to wash away what is bothering the eye.

Another possible cause of excessive tearing is a blocked tear duct, causing tears to collect in the eye. The job of the tear duct is to carry away the tears. If it is blocked, the tears will not drain normally into the nose. This can happen as a result of an infection in the tear duct or an injury. In infants, tear ducts may not be fully open; although, this often clears up on its own after a few months.

Specifically, some of the causes of excessive tearing include:

  • Allergies, such as hay fever
  • Common colds
  • Dry eyes
  • Eye infections caused by bacteria, fungus or viruses, which include pink eye (conjunctivitis)
  • Eyelid problems, such as eyelid inflammation or an eyelid that is turned in or out
  • Infection or blockage of the tear duct
  • An ingrown eyelash
  • An irritant or foreign object in the eye, including contact lenses

Excessive tearing can also be caused less commonly by other conditions, such as:

  • Chronic sinusitis
  • Eye injuries, including scratched cornea
  • Other illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, damage to a facial nerve or thyroid disorders
  • Radiation therapy
  • Surgery of the eye or nose

When to See an Eye Doctor

Excessive tearing is not always a sign of more serious medical problems. The eyes may stop tearing on their own. A few simple treatments, though, may relieve the irritation. These include:

  • The use of artificial tears several times a day, as directed
  • Taking over-the-counter medication for your allergies
  • Placing warm compresses over your closed eyes for a few minutes

If the excessive tearing does not stop, or if the eyes become more irritated, make an appointment with your ophthalmologist.

If you develop any of the following symptoms, seek immediate medical attention:

  • Decreased vision
  • Pain in or around the eyes
  • Sensation of a foreign body in your eye

These could be a sign of serious medical condition.