Dry Eye is a common problem affecting 16 million people across the U.S. It occurs when the eye does not produce enough tears or when the tears have an abnormal consistency and evaporate too quickly. Symptoms include burning or stinging, feeling sensitive to light, blurred or changed vision, and having a gritty feeling in your eyes. There are several types of Dry Eye Disease we treat at Rush Eye Associates:

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AQUEOUS DEFICIENT DRY EYE

This is when your eyes don’t produce enough tears. Your lacrimal gland (in the upper, outer corner of each eye) produces your aqueous tears. These tears make up the middle, watery layer of your tear film. Some autoimmune conditions can cause inflammation in your lacrimal gland and prevent it from producing enough aqueous tears.

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EVAPORATIVE DRY EYE

This is when your tears evaporate too quickly. The most common cause is meibomian gland dysfunction. This means the glands in your eyelids that produce the outer, oily layer of your tear film don’t work properly. As a result, the oily layer is unstable and can’t protect the watery layer from drying up.

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MIXED DRY EYE

Some people have aqueous tear deficiency and tear instability. This means your eyes don’t produce enough tears, plus your tear film is unstable. Both of these problems lead to dry eye symptoms.

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While Dry Eye is a chronic condition, there are a number of state-of-the-art treatments available to help manage your symptoms. At Rush Eye Associates, our specialists will determine the best option to ease your discomfort depending on your specific situation.​​​​​

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