What are the symptoms of dry eyes?

Among the symptoms suffered by patients with dry eyes are The intolerance of cosmetics or contact lenses can also be an indication of dry eyes. The eye generally becomes more sensitive, so that even a draft can cause pain. These subjective complaints are perceived differently and unpleasantly by each individual patient.

Dryness feeling
Foreign body sensation
Itching
Burning

The diagnosis

Dry eyes are diagnosed by the doctor on the basis of the symptoms described. The Schirmer test and the tearing time are also used. First and foremost, the faulty composition of the tear film is of concern, so that this should be clarified.

The so-called Schirmer test is used for this purpose, in which a strip of litmus paper is hung into the lower conjunctival sac of the locally anesthetized eye. If the tear film lacks the appropriate amount of aqueous component, the strip would stain less than 5 mm. This would indicate that the tear gland is not working normally.

If the Schirmer test is normal, but the break-up time is shorter, there is probably a reduction in the function of the conjunctival goblet cells. A wide variety of preparations are available, which can be selected individually. They differ in the basic materials used, but also in their viscosity (drops or gels). If the patients suffer from allergies, preparations without preservatives should be used. These articles may also be of interest to you:

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What are the consequences of dry eyes?

On the one hand, dry eyes cause the typical symptoms such as eye pain, redness, foreign body sensation and burning, which can considerably disturb the patient’s quality of life. However, if the disease continues to be ignored, it can lead to considerable consequential damage. In a first phase, dry eyes can lead to further complications such as inflammation and damage to the cornea and eyelid.

Eye infections, such as conjunctivitis, are much more likely than in healthy eyes because the eyes are constantly irritated. If the eye remains chronically dry, the corneal surface may dry out. This results in changes in the uppermost corneal cell layer.

These changes can lead to clouding or even scarring of the cornea. Opacities and scarring can be painful and significantly worsen the visual acuity. In addition, small vessels may sprout into the cornea (angiogenesis).

This again has a negative effect on the ability to see. In this phase, irreversible processes may already have occurred. In the very worst case, complete blindness is imminent.