Among our many vision and eye care services offered at Pelham Parkway Vision Center, dry eye treatment is one of the ones that our Bronx optometrist team is most frequently consulted for. This condition affects millions of Americans and hundreds of the New Yorkers who come to see us for care!
What Do Dry Eyes Feel Like?
Our eyes are normally protected by a thin moist film of tears. This helps keep our eyes healthy, infection-free, and comfortable. When a person has dry eyes, they may experience a variety of symptoms and signs, including:
- the feeling of grittiness in their eyes
- the feeling of a foreign object in their eyes
- itchy, scratchy, burning, and red eyes
- excessive wateriness and clear discharge that may dry out overnight and form a crusty residue
- blurry vision
What’s Causing My Dry Eyes?
There are two main reasons why a person may experience dry eyes: that is, either the number of tears produced by the tear glands is inadequate, or the quality of the tears produced is inadequate, or a combination thereof.
So, why might this happen? Our Bronx optometrist team identifies and diagnoses a variety of potential causes or direct causes, including:
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (aka dry eye syndrome) – the water component of tears (the other components being oil and mucus) is insufficient
- Advancing age – it’s not unusual to struggle with dry eyes as you get older; most people over the age of 65 experience dry eye symptoms at least on occasion
- Hormones – females often experience dry eyes during periods of hormonal flux, including pregnancy and menopause
- Medications – dry eyes as a side effect can often occur if a person is taking oral contraceptives, anti-hypertensives, antihistamines, decongestants, and antidepressants, among others
- Medical conditions – dry eyes have been associated with issues like blepharitis (eyelid inflammation), diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid problems
- Environment – long-term use of contact lenses, a history of LASIK eye surgery, and exposure to smoke, chemicals, extreme or sudden weather changes, or excessive computer use (since we tend to blink less when looking at a screen)
Of course, getting the right diagnosis is essential to proper dry eye treatment, which is why our staff is honored to offer our community cutting-edge technology and area-leading experience.
Don’t Suffer From Dry Eyes in Bronx & NYC: Our Optometry Team Is Here to Help
Do you have dry eyes in the Bronx or a surrounding New York neighborhood? If so, call Pelham Parkway Vision Center today at 718-829-2160 to schedule an appointment with a Bronx optometrist. When you call or visit, be sure to ask us about our current special offers!