About Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry Eye Syndrome is a chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture in the eye.

Its consequences range from subtle but constant irritation to ocular inflammation of the anterior (front) tissues of the eye.

Dry Eye Syndrome Symptoms

Persistent dryness, scratching and burning in your eyes are signs of dry eye syndrome. These symptoms alone may be enough for your eye doctor to diagnose dry eye syndrome. But sometimes he or she may want to measure the amount of tears in your eyes. A thin strip of filter paper placed at the edge of the eye, called a Schirmer test, is one way to measure.

Some people also experience a “foreign body sensation,” the feeling that something is in the eye. And it may seem odd, but sometimes watery eyes can result from dry eye syndrome, because the excessive dryness works to overstimulate production of the watery component of your eye’s tears.