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You Are a Chronic Dry Eye Explorer

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You Are a Chronic Dry Eye Explorer

Sure, you may have heard of chronic dry eye. But what causes it? What are the symptoms? And what treatments are out there? When you are looking for info on dry eye, there is a lot to learn. We get it.

See the correct answers to the quiz below – and check out these helpful resources to dive deeper into chronic dry eye.

Question 1: Chronic dry eye can occur when your eye:

Correct answer: Does not make enough quality tears

Tears help nourish, lubricate, and protect the front surface of the eye. But what if your eyes do not produce enough tears? Or your tears are poor quality? This can lead to chronic dry eye disease.

Chronic dry eye is more than just occasional dryness. Symptoms can vary from person to person, ranging from burning to itching to blurry vision to light sensitivity. Common triggers include scents or fumes, allergies, prolonged screen time, and dry weather.

Question 2: People with another eye condition may be more likely to have chronic dry eye.

Correct answer: True

It is not uncommon for those diagnosed with other eye conditions also to have dry eye.

For example, many people living with glaucoma also experience chronic dry eye. Glaucoma is caused by a buildup of pressure inside the eye. While dry eye does not cause glaucoma, the two conditions can occur simultaneously. One of the reasons? Even though dry eye and glaucoma can manifest at any age, their prevalence increases as you get older. Similarly, cataracts can often occur with dry eye disease. It is important to talk to your doctor about symptom management and treatment options if you are diagnosed with another eye condition and dry eye.

Question 3: The goal of dry eye treatment is to:

Correct answer: Improve tear production

Dry eye treatments focus on improving the quality of tears. Depending on the diagnosis, this is done in one of three ways: by adding tears, increasing tear production, or conserving tears.

Mild cases can often be managed with over-the-counter medications, like artificial tears. To encourage your eyes to make their own tears, your doctor may recommend prescription eye drops to treat inflammation. And for conserving natural tears, your doctors may insert punctal plugs – tiny devices placed into the lower tear ducts.

Be open with your doctor about your symptoms. Left untreated, chronic dry eye can lead to infection, scarring of the cornea, and damage to your eyesight.