People who suffer from dry eyes often complain of stinging, burning, scratchiness and blurry vision.  Surprisingly, some people complain of excess tearing because a dry, irritated eye will often water constantly.  Effective treatment begins with a careful examination to determine which factors may be causing your symptoms.

For some people, the cause of dry eyes is an imbalance in the composition of their tears.  Other people don’t produce enough tears to keep their eyes comfortably lubricated.  Eyelid problems, allergic reactions, medications and environmental irritants can also lead to dry eyes. 

The method used to treat dry eyes largely depends on the cause of the symptoms.  Over-the-counter artificial tears and lubricating ointments are sometimes helpful to moisturize dry eyes.  Your doctor may prescribe Restasis®, a medication that aims to decrease inflammation on the eye surface and help increase production of healthy tears. 

Sometimes it is necessary to close the ducts that drain tears out of the eye. Punctal plugs are used to block the ducts that normally allow tears to drain into the nasal passages.  Many patients find that the plugs improve comfort and reduce the need for artificial tears.