Tears are essential for keeping our eyes healthy and comfortable. Dry eye occurs when your eyes do not produce enough tears, produce poor-quality tears, or when tears evaporate too quickly, causing discomfort and irritation. Recent studies suggest that dry eye disease (DED) affects up to 59% of the population, with one in five post-COVID patients reporting related symptoms. Maintaining eye health is crucial for overall well-being.

The dry eye screening assesses key indicators, including intraocular pressure, tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer’s test, and tear meniscus height, while examining ocular surface, lid margins, and meibomian gland function to diagnose dry eye. An optometrist will evaluate your eye health and provides recommendations for improvement.

Common symptoms of dry eye:

• Redness
• Stinging, scratching, or burning sensations
• Light sensitivity
• Watery eyes
• Stringy mucus near the eyes
• Blurry vision

Apart from certain environmental and medical factors, the following risk factors may increase chances of developing dry eye:

• Female gender
• Long term use of contact lenses
• Excessive use of electronic devices (e.g. computers)
• Thyroid abnormalities
• Hypertension
• Antidepressants
• Antihistamines
• Having refractive eye surgery, such as LASIK
• Long-term smoking