Have you ever felt like there’s a tiny piece of sand in your eye, but no matter how much you blink, you can’t get it out? That annoying, gritty feeling might not be sand at all. It could be a common condition called dry eye.
Dry eye often feels like a gritty, scratchy, or burning sensation. It can also cause discomfort, redness, and even watery eyes. Dry eye happens when your tears aren’t providing enough moisture, leaving your eyes feeling irritated. It’s a pesky problem, but understanding what it feels like is the first step toward finding comfort with effective dry eye therapy.
Common Signs & Symptoms of Dry Eye
You may experience a range of uncomfortable feelings if your eyes are dry. These symptoms often affect both eyes and can point to a disruption in your natural tear production.
A Gritty or Scratchy Sensation
One of the most frequent descriptions of dry eye is the feeling that something—like sand or dirt—is in your eye. This happens even when your eye is perfectly clear. It’s a persistent feeling, and it can be quite distracting.
Stinging, Burning & General Discomfort
Beyond grittiness, you might notice other sensations that signal dryness. These can range from mild irritation to more bothersome feelings. A few other symptoms that you might experience include:
- A stinging or burning feeling
- Itchy eyes
- Redness or irritation
- Stringy mucus in or around the eyes
- Blurred vision or eye fatigue
Watery Eyes
It might seem strange, but watery eyes are a common response to dry eye. Your eyes water when your body tries to produce more tears to combat the irritation caused by dry eye. Unfortunately, these emergency tears are often poor quality and don’t lubricate your eyes well.
Why Your Eyes Feel Dry
Dry eye occurs when your tears can’t properly lubricate your eyes. This happens either because you don’t produce enough tears or because the tears you do produce aren’t effective.
Not Enough Tear Production
Sometimes, the glands in your eyes just don’t create enough fluid to keep the surface of your eye moist and healthy. A decrease in tear production can often be a natural part of aging. It can also be related to certain health conditions or medications.
Poor Quality Tears
A healthy tear film has three important layers—oil, water, and mucus. If any of these layers are out of balance, your tears may evaporate too quickly. One common cause of tear imbalance is blockage of the meibomian glands, which produce the oily layer of your tears.
Poor quality tears leave your eyes feeling dry and unprotected from the elements.
Risk Factors That Contribute to Dry Eye
Certain factors can make you more likely to experience the symptoms of dry eye. Some are related to your environment, while others relate to your personal health and daily habits. Knowing what to look out for can help you figure out what’s causing your symptoms.
Your Age & Hormones
Tear production often decreases as we get older, so it’s more common for people over 50 to notice symptoms. Hormonal changes can also affect tear production. Women may experience dry eye during pregnancy or menopause.
Lifestyle & Environmental Triggers
Your daily life and surroundings play a big part in eye comfort. Factors in your environment can contribute to that dry, irritated feeling. Some common triggers include:
- Spending long hours at a computer
- Wearing contact lenses
- Exposure to wind, smoke, or dry air
- A diet low in vitamin A or omega-3 fatty acids
What Can Be Mistaken for Dry Eyes?
The symptoms of dry eye can sometimes overlap with other conditions. It’s helpful to know what else might be causing your discomfort. This can help you understand what’s happening with your vision.
Seasonal Allergies
Itchy, red, and watery eyes are classic signs of both dry eye and seasonal allergies. The main difference is that allergy symptoms are often accompanied by sneezing or a stuffy nose. Dry eye symptoms are usually just focused on your eyes.
Other Eye Conditions
An eye infection or inflammation of the eyelids, called blepharitis, can also cause redness, irritation, and a gritty feeling. A visit to your optometrist can help you identify the cause of your discomfort.
Find Relief & Professional Care
You can make small adjustments to your daily routine to help ease dry eye symptoms and keep your eyes more comfortable. While home remedies can help manage symptoms, persistent discomfort is a sign you may want to seek a professional opinion. An eye doctor can properly identify the cause of your dry eye.
Adjust Your Home & Workspace
Simple changes can make a big difference to your comfort. Try to position your computer screen below eye level and use a humidifier to add moisture to the air. It also helps to avoid having fans or air conditioners blow directly into your eyes.
Give Your Eyes a Break
When you focus on a task like reading or using a computer, you tend to blink less often. Remember to take periodic eye breaks to help avoid digital eye strain—close your eyes for a few minutes or blink several times to help spread tears over your eyes. This simple habit can offer some nice relief.
Professional Care
If at-home remedies don’t offer enough relief, it may be time for professional care. At Fontana Optometric Group, we offer a range of dry eye therapies, from punctual plugs to meibomian gland expression to eye drops and other medications.
When Symptoms Affect Your Life
When dry eyes make it hard to read, drive at night, or wear contact lenses, it’s time to chat with a professional. If you’re looking for an eye doctor in Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, or Upland, our team is here to help you make the most of your vision.
Feel free to reach out to us and schedule your appointment today!