Dry Eye & Red Eye Assessments

Many people suffer with gritty, sore eyes, known as dry eye syndrome. It can be caused by a number of factors, but whatever the cause, we can help you to alleviate the symptoms.

Dry eye syndrome

This common condition can be very uncomfortable. It’s caused by your eyes not producing enough tears to lubricate your eyes or your tears being too watery. Symptoms include:

• Gritty feeling in the eyes
• Feeling like there is something in your eye
• Watery eyes
• Itching or burning sensation in the eye
• Blurred vision.

Certain medications, such as antihistamines and HRT can also cause dry eye. There are also a number or environmental factors that can make it worse, including air conditioning, being out in cold or windy weather, and heating that can dry the air. Another factor responsible for an increasing number of cases is overuse of digital screens. When you spend hours staring at a screen, you blink less often than you need to, which can result in dry eyes.

Red eye

Red Eye shares many of the symptoms of dry eye, with the addition of eyelids that are red, irritated, or crusty. It’s often caused by a condition called blepharitis. Dry eye and blepharitis may be linked, and can be caused by meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD); a condition where your glands don’t produce enough oil, making your tears too watery and prone to drying your eyes out.

Dry Eye/Red Eye Assessment

If you think you have dry eye or red eye, book an assessment so we can talk through your symptoms and take a look at your eyes and tear glands to find out what’s going on. When we’ve determined the cause of your symptoms we’ll put together a customised treatment plan, which may include eyedrops or ointment, or an eye hygiene plan for you to follow at home. If we spot the symptoms of dry eye or red eye during a routine eye exam we will recommend a dry eye assessment to investigate it further.