Tears help to lubricate the eye and keep it comfortable when blinking. They also help protect the eye from infection by washing bacteria away and killing any left. Dry eye is a very common condition. It is caused by a deficiency in one or more parts of the tears.

The tears consist of 3 parts:

A sticky mucous layer – This creates a smooth surface for tears to adhere to. Lack of mucous is rarely a problem however some people create too much mucous.

A thick watery layer – This is what most people think of as “tears”. This is often reduced in some people with dry eye producing a gritty sensation.

A very thin lipid layer – This seals the tears onto the surface of the eye. It is formed like a bubble when the eyelids press together as you blink. If this layer is unstable the bubble “pops” and the watery tears drop off the eye and spill over onto the cheek. This is why people with “dry eye” often find their eyes watering all the time!

Because there are several causes of dry eye no single treatment can alleviate every individuals symptoms. Often more than one treatment is needed.

The main treatments are Artificial Tear Drops, Lid Compresses and Lid wipes.  In addition, some people with a low volume of the watery (Aqueous) part of the tears benefit from blocking the tear drainage channels with special plugs. This is a more specialist procedure and should be discussed with an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Artificial tears
These are available of the shelf in Opticians, pharmacies and some supermarkets. They are also available on prescription from your GP. There are many different types and the key to successful treatment of dry eye is finding the right one for you.

Some of the more watery ones will not last as long as the gel based drops, however some of the gel-based drops may make your vision a little “smeary” for a few minutes. If you develop an allergy to the preservative, many of the drops are available in a preservative free form.

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