What is DES?

What is Dry Eye Syndrome?

Do your eyes ever get red, feel like they are burning or gritty? Has it felt like something was stuck in your eyes but you can’t find anything? Or do you tear up excessively, especially when you walk outside in the cold air. If you have ever experienced one or more of these uncomfortable and irritating sensations, you may be suffering from dry eyes.

Almost everyone experiences dry eyes at one point or another. When the problem is chronic, it’s called dry eye syndrome (DES). Insufficient tears or poor-quality tears that don’t properly hydrate the tear film can result in blurry vision, dryness, redness, and the feeling that sand particles are in your eye. Dry eye syndrome can be caused by environmental factors, medical issues like autoimmune diseases, excess bacterial growth, aging and excessive computer use.

Untreated, dry eye syndrome can sometimes result in corneal scarring and loss of vision. That’s why knowing the underlying cause of your symptoms and receiving the appropriate treatment is so important.

Here at Bethany Optical, we will perform a variety of tests to determine the root cause of your dry eye syndrome and work with you to customize the most effective, proven treatment to get you feeling better!