What is dry-eye syndrome?

If your eyes produce an unusually small amount of tears or tears of abnormal quality, you may have dry-eye syndrome, a condition which can lead to damage of the outer layer of the eye. Your eyes may feel dry, gritty and irritated, and you may experience a foreign body sensation, itching, sensitivity to bright light (photophobia) and mattering (debris accumulated on the eyelids).

In most cases, the specific cause of dry-eye syndrome is not known. The condition is very common and is found in people of all ages. It affects women more than men. Three of the most common causes of dry-eye syndrome include:

• Disorders which affect the production of oil, water or mucus, the component parts of normal tears.
• An impairment of the normal functioning of the eyelids which affects protective blinking.
• Conditions which directly alter the surface of your eyes, such as infection or contact lens wear.

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