Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry Eye Syndrome will occur when the eye does not properly produce tears or when the tears are not the correct consistency.  There are millions of people that seek help from their eye doctors for this reason. It can be very distracting from everyday life, hindering one's ability to complete routine tasks such as reading, computer use, or driving with windows open.

• Stinging or burning.
• Decreased or fluctuating vision.
• Eye irritation or scratchiness.
• Excess tearing, especially when reading, driving, or watching t.v.
• Stringy mucus in or around eyes.
• Difficulty wearing contact lenses.

• Age
• Environmental factors: Ex: dusty, windy work environments/windy or desert like climates and use of air conditioning or ceiling fans.
• Menopause
• Medications: for example, antihistamines, oral contraceptives, beta blockers, diuretics, and antidepressants. 
• Contact lens wear.
• Poor diet, not enough variety of fruits and vegetable.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Acne and Rosacea.

There are several methods to test for dry eyes. The doctor determines the underlying causes of dry eyes, by examining the eyes under a slit lamp. We also use a relatively new technology called lipiscan to scan and take a picture of the meibomian glands, as a majority of dry eye symptoms stem from meibomian gland dysfunction.

At Southern TN Eye Specialists, we use the most advanced technologies and techniques to diagnose and completely understand your dry eyes, then treat it so you can get back to comfort and normalcy.