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Dry Eyes Specialist

Suburban Eyes Clinic Phillip C Wu, MD Our Services Dry Eyes
Phillip C Wu, MD - - General Ophthalmology

Suburban Eyes Clinic

Phillip C Wu, MD

General Ophthalmology located in Evanston, IL

Your eyes might get dry every once in a while due to things in your environment like dust and dry air, but if your eyes are constantly irritated and red, your dry eyes may need professional care. At Suburban Eye Clinic in Evanston, Illinois, ophthalmologist Phillip Wu, MD, and his team can ease your dry eye symptoms with an effective treatment strategy. To find out if you need treatment for dry eyes, call Suburban Eye Clinic, or book an appointment online today.

Dry Eyes Q&A

What is dry eye?

Dry eye is a condition characterized by tears that can’t adequately lubricate your eyes. You might have dry eyes if your tear ducts can’t create enough tears to lubricate your eyes or if the tears you produce are chemically imbalanced. In either case, dry eyes almost always cause discomfort but are relatively easy to treat. 

Healthy tears consist of a mixture of water, mucus, and fatty oils. Your eyes rely on them to stay clean and prevent infections. You might struggle to produce adequate tears because of:

  • Certain medications
  • Older age
  • Vitamin A deficiency
  • Diabetes
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Lupus
  • Damage to your tear glands
  • Laser eye surgery (dry eyes can be a temporary side effect)

You might temporarily get dry eyes if you’re around smoke, wind, dry air, or chemical fumes. 

What symptoms come with dry eyes?

Dry eyes come with a variety of symptoms, some of which may seem counterintuitive. Usually, the following symptoms affect both of your eyes at once:

  • Stinging, itching, or burning
  • Eye redness or visible irritation
  • Lots of mucus in or around your eyes
  • Feeling like you have something stuck in your eye
  • Light sensitivity
  • Blurry vision
  • Trouble seeing in the dark
  • Eye-watering

It might seem odd for your eyes to water if you have dry eyes, but this happens because your eyes are trying to compensate for their lack of lubrication. You should book an appointment at Suburban Eye Clinic for an exam if you have one or more of these symptoms, and they don’t go away with time. 

How are dry eyes treated?

If you have mild or temporary dry eyes from your environment or lifestyle, you may be able to treat them with over-the-counter eye drops effectively. If your dry eyes last for a long time and cause excessive discomfort or vision disturbances, your provider at Suburban Eye Clinic can help you manage them with an effective treatment plan. 

Your dry eyes treatment depends on the underlying cause of your dry eyes. It might include:

Prescription eye drops

There are several types of prescription eye drops that work against dry eyes. Your provider might prescribe eye drops to reduce inflammation in or around your eyes, eye drops that stimulate tear production, or eye drops that act like artificial tears. 

Procedures

Certain procedures may help treat dry eyes, depending on their cause. Your provider might recommend a procedure to unblock your tear ducts or to close your tear ducts to prevent tear loss, among other techniques.

Lifestyle alterations

Certain changes to your lifestyle, like applying a warm washcloth to your eyes or resting your eyes after staring at a screen, can help ease dry eye symptoms.

To discover the right treatment for your dry eyes, call Suburban Eye Clinic, or book an appointment online today.

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