If you have dry eye syndrome, the issue may be a lack of the right kind of tears to keep the eyes comfortable. This can occur if too few tears are being generated to keep the eye wet, or tears that do not stay on the eyes long enough. If not addressed, this dryness can cause harm to the surface of the eyeball. Possible causes include a side effect of a medication, an underlying issue, too much time spent on a device, or contact lenses.

Although dry eye can be a problem for anyone, it is increasingly more common as we age, since we produce a smaller quantity of tears. Postmenopausal women and those with arthritis are especially prone to it. Moreover, certain medications and health conditions can cause dry eye and make it difficult to wear contact lenses.

Dry eye syndrome is characterized by: stinging, itching (especially in the corners of the eyes), temporary blurriness, redness, a desire to close the eyes, mucus around the eyelids in the morning, and the feeling of something in the eye (e.g. an eyelash or a grain of sand).

Unfortunately, dry eye does not have a fix, yet its indicators can be eased.

A variety of solutions are available, such as attempting to blink more often, utilizing eye drops, gels, or ointments to moisten your eyes (sometimes referred to as ‘artificial tears’), increasing the humidity of the atmosphere in the home or workplace with bowls of water to evaporate, taking note of any medicine side effects that might lead to dry eye.

Necessary for eye health, proper tear production is essential. Untreated dry eye can result in: ache, visual fluctuations, and in extreme cases, scarring of the eye's front surface.