Can Dry Eye Symptoms Come and Go?

You get dry eye when your tears are unable to adequately lubricate your eyes. It is a common condition that happens when your tears are unstable or inadequate for any number of reasons. For example, you may not be producing enough tears. You may also produce poor-quality tears. Essentially, any instability in your tears will often lead to some damage to the surface of your eyes and/or inflammation. This condition can be temporary or chronic.

Chronic Dry Eye

If you are suffering from chronic dry eye, it means that the problem has been there for a long time. It happens when your eyes fail to produce enough tears because they are evaporating too quickly. It may also be due to inflammation around or in your eye. Essentially, chronic dry eye often stems from underlying conditions. These include issues involving skin diseases near your eyes, eye glands, and allergies.

Temporary Dry Eye

Temporary dry eye, on the other hand, results from environmental factors. People suffering from this condition may experience symptoms as a result of being in a dry environment. You may also experience symptoms if you have been wearing contact lenses for too long.

Do Symptoms Come and Go?

You may be wondering whether dry eye symptoms can come and go. What you need to understand is that symptoms never go away completely without treatment. However, they may get better or worse.

With mild dry eye, or in the early stages of the disease, you may only notice symptoms after long days. You may also notice them after using a computer or other environmental conditions that tend to decrease your blink rate. Dry air, wind, and other conditions will also increase tear evaporation from your eyes, which will worsen your symptoms.

Sometimes, you will develop symptoms when you wear contact lenses or when you are dehydrated. Your eyes can dry up in this way, just like your mouth becomes dry. Fortunately, there are ways to treat both temporary and chronic dry eye. Your doctor will help you find the most effective ways to reduce your symptoms. You may also find relief from some natural remedies that you can use at home.

Common Symptoms of Dry Eye

Signs and symptoms of dry eye tend to affect both eyes. They may include:

• Eye redness.

• Difficulty wearing contacts.

• A burning or stinging feeling in your eyes.

• Sensitivity to light.

• Eye fatigue and blurred vision.

• Stringy mucus in your eyes.

• Watery eyes due to eye irritation.

• A feeling of having a foreign object in your eyes.

• Difficulty with driving at night.

If you continue to experience any of these symptoms for a prolonged period, you need to see your doctor. An eye specialist will take appropriate steps to determine the causes of your symptoms and recommend the right treatment. If left untreated, this condition can lead to a wide range of complications. These include a decreased quality of life, serious eye infections, or even damage to the surface of your eyes.

To learn more about dry eyes, visit Advanced Vision Institute at our offices in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can also call (702) 819-9800 to book an appointment today.