What is Dry Eye?
Dry eye disease is a progressive eye condition that can make day to day life uncomfortable. It often occurs when the eyes aren’t producing enough quality tears to keep them lubricated and comfortable. Without tears to keep the eye’s surface moisturized, they can become irritated and inflamed.
Sometimes, the eye produces enough tears, but it drains too quickly, leaving the eyes without the necessary tears to stay comfortable.
The Tear Film
The tear film is a layer of tears that cover the surface of the eye. It’s made up of 3 layers, a mucus layer, a watery layer, and an oily layer. The oily layer prevents the tear from evaporating, the watery layer repels bacteria, and the mucus layer keeps the tear fastened to the eye.
When one of the layers is out of balance, the tears can’t provide adequate moisture for the eye, and dry eye symptoms can develop.