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DRY EYE
PATIENT INFORMATION
INFORMATION AND ADVICE TO HELP YOU
UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE THIS CONDITION
The information in this leaflet has been
developed by Scope Ophthalmics
DRY EYE
You have been diagnosed with dry eye (also
known as dry eye syndrome or dry eye disease),
which is a condition caused when your eyes do
not make enough tears, or the tears produced are
of a poor quality.
Dry eye explained
YE
D RY E
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NORM
AL
The surface of your eye is covered by a thin layer of liquid
known as the tear film (tears). Your tears have several important
functions: they lubricate your eyes, keeping them clean and free
of dust, they protect your eyes against infection, and they aid
sight by helping to stabilise your vision.
Tears are produced and controlled by a number of systems, and if
any part of these systems break down, it can result in a reduced
quality or quantity of tears.
When you have dry eyes, it is usual to notice some of the following:
Your eyes feel irritated and dry
You may experience blurred vision
You may feel that there is something in your eye
You may feel burning and itching in your eyes
Your eyes may start to water or run (this may seem
strange as you have "DRY eye", but watery eyes are
actually a common symptom of dry eyes)
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CAUSES AND THE DISEASE
Causes
Dry eye can be caused by any of the following:
Being in a hot, air conditioned or windy environment
Some long-term conditions or diseases, ie Sjögrens Syndrome
Side effects of some medications, eg HRT, preservatives in
eye drops or antihistamines
Hormonal changes
Age – the risk of dry eye syndrome increases significantly for
people over the age of 65, a population which is expected
to double by 2030
Dry eye disease can have a
significant impact on your
quality of life, affecting daily
activities such as driving
or reading
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ADVICE AND TREATMENT FOR DRY EYE
Overview
Dry eye is a chronic (long-term) condition, however, there are
treatment options available to control your symptoms. In the
next few pages you will find advice on treatment and lifestyle
options that may be able to help with your condition.
Medication
Some medications can cause dry eye as a side effect. While
you should never stop taking your medication without speaking
to your healthcare professional, you should advise them if you
are experiencing any such side effects.
They may be able to change your medication or offer
suggestions that could reduce these side effects.
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ADVICE AND TREATMENT FOR DRY EYE
Environment
Your tears are affected by the environment in which you live, so
you can make changes which can have a very positive impact
on your tears and therefore your dry eye, for example:
Avoiding prolonged periods in front of the TV and/or computer
Adjusting the brightness of your TV and/or computer
Wearing specialised eyewear or wear sunglasses on bright
and windy days
Cleaning your eyelids daily – in the same way you brush
your teeth daily
Making sure your contact lenses are comfortable while you
are wearing them (ie well lubricated)
Improving your diet, ie inclusion of Omega-3
Keeping your eyes well protected from smoke or smoky
environments
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Lubricants
Lubricating eye drops, gels and ointments are the mainstay of
treatment for dry eyes. Lubricants aim to replace the missing
water in the tear film. There are many lubricants available,
the table below, shows the different kinds and when they are
recommended:
Form/System
Mild dry eye
Moderate
to severe
dry eye
Preserved drops*
✔
✘
Preserved gels*
✔
✘
Preservative free
drops/gels
(unit vials)**
✔
✔
Preservative free
drops (bottles)**
✔
✔
Preservative free
ointments**
✘
✔
* These products and gels contain a chemical preservative used to keep your eye drops sterile
** These products contain no chemical preservative and still remain sterile due to their system
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ADVICE AND TREATMENT FOR DRY EYE
Lubricants
There are many lubricant products available with various
ingredients. Some drops and gels offer short term relief, whilst
others can last longer and offer more comfort, but may cause
blurring of your vision for a period.
Your healthcare professional can recommend the right product
for you and advise how often you should use your eye drops.
This is particularly important if you have been advised that you
have moderate to severe dry eye, and it is important that you
use your eye drops as directed, even if your eyes feel better. If
you do suffer from moderate or severe dry eye, you will
probably have been prescribed or recommended preservative
free eye drops.
This is because preservatives in large quantities, or after long
term use (months or years), may damage the delicate cells
on the surface of the eye, or cause inflammation to the eye.
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If you’ve been prescribed or recommended to use lubricants, it
is important that you know how to use them. Please ask your
healthcare professional about this as they will demonstrate and
may also be able to offer you an eye drop dispenser to help
with using your eye drops more easily.
Anti-inflammatory treatments
Your eye doctor may also prescribe an anti-inflammatory
treatment or recommend an Omega-3 supplement that can
target the root cause of the disease, and so reduce your
symptoms.
Here’s what some dry eye treatments look like...
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USEFUL INFORMATION
Don’t share your eye drops with anyone else
Patients using contact lenses should use preservative free
lubricants
Many lubricants are available from your GP on prescription
Many eye drops and gels should be thrown away after 28
days once opened
Some newer eye drops can be kept for up to six months from
first opening – please check when your eye drops should
be discarded
Dry eye is often associated with Blepharitis. Eyelid hygiene
will help to relieve this condition
Most eye drops will have a patient information leaflet inside
the box. There is usually of a lot of information in here
including details on how to use the product.
What would happen without treatment?
It is important to treat this condition. Without treatment
your pain and discomfort will not disappear, and your
quality of life will not improve; it may also result in
complications such as scarring of your cornea (the
transparent layer at the front of the eye), which can lead to
more serious complications.
It is important to continue the treatment because if you do
stop the symptoms will return and possibly worsen.
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As there are many treatment options available, please ask your
healthcare professional which is best for you:
Your healthcare professional recommends
Product(s) recommended:
Use
times daily
Additional comments
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