Dry, itchy eyes are common, and there are several possible causes for them. These include tear gland dysfunction, environmental conditions, and daily habits. While the end result is typically “dry eye” in all cases, the cause sometimes affects what treatment doctors will recommend.
 

Potential Causes for “Dry Eyes”

Staring at Screens Too Long

This is the most modern cause of dry eye. When you look at a computer screen, your blinking rate tends to slow down. This stops your lubricating tear layer from refreshing often enough, and the eyes get dry. Often, this effect is combined with other characteristic symptoms to form a condition called “computer vision syndrome.”
 

A Dry or Dusty Environment

Dry environments speed the evaporation of tears. When dust is in the mix, further dryness and irritation result.
 

Your Eyes Don’t Properly Produce Tears

Three layers make up Normal, non-crying tears: A lipid layer, a watery layer, and a mucin layer. Each one of these is produced by a specific set of glands in the eyes and eyelids. If any component isn’t being produced in enough quantity, the symptoms of dry eye can appear.
 

Treatments for Dry, Itchy Eyes

The most basic dry eye treatment is to use eye drops made for combating the symptoms of dry eye. These drops have a lubricating factor that plain drops do not.

Because truly eliminating the problem of dry eye requires addressing its root causes, your Williamsburg eye doctor will examine your eyes to make sure that they are properly producing tears. Then, when possible, they will address any problems here. This will make it so that your natural tears are healthier.

If nothing seems to be wrong with your tear production, they will ask about your lifestyle. They will recommend steps to protect your eyes from your activities, such as wearing glasses that block the blue light from computer monitors.
 

Contact Your Williamsburg Optometrist Today

To have a doctor examine you for dry eye and get a treatment that addresses the cause of the problem, just make an appointment with our optometrist here at Eye Center of Virginia in Williamsburg.