Why Are My Eyes So Dry?

Dry eyes are a common complaint across demographics and age groups. Fortunately, there are many treatments for dry eyes. The first thing you need to do is figure out the cause of your dry eyes, and then you can start to rectify the situation.

At Ventura Eye Institute in Camarillo, California, our professional team of eye care specialists can help you determine what’s causing your dry eyes, and deliver the best solution for your specific issue.

Common causes of dry eyes

Anyone can have dry eyes in the right (or should we say, the wrong) circumstances. The following is but a partial list list of reasons you could be experiencing dry eyes:

• Being outside in windy areas
• Getting exposed to dust or allergens
• Staring at the computer for a long time
• Taking certain medications
• Natural aging processes
• Dehydration
• Vitamin A deficiency
• Being in a low-humidity environment
• Smoking or being around smokers

Many of these issues can be resolved with eye drops, allergy meds, hydration, eye protection, sensible limitations on screen time, and reducing exposure to triggers like smoke, wind, or dust. 

However, if your eyes seem constantly dry and you’re going through eye drops like you should have bought stock in the manufacturer, you may have a chronic problem that needs a specific solution.

Dry eye syndrome

Dry eye syndrome describes what happens when your eyes don’t produce enough tears to keep your eyeball lubricated, or when your tears are of low quality and don’t contain the right balance of ingredients.  

Correctly balanced tears contain a special oil produced by the meibomian glands, which are on the edge of your eyelids. When your glands get blocked or clogged, you can end up with tears that don’t have enough oil to provide sufficient lubrication, or simply not enough tears at all.

We provide meibomian gland washouts for dry eye syndrome. This is an in-office, minimally invasive procedure designed to gently probe and unclog blocked meibomian glands. We apply a topical anesthetic so you won’t feel any discomfort during the procedure. 

Then we use the tiny probe to stimulate the muscles around the glands, since most issues are caused by atrophied muscles that are putting pressure on the glands and squeezing them shut.

Once the treatment is over, the glands can again supply a regular flow of lubricating tears to your eyes and your issue is resolved. In most cases, a single treatment fixes the problem for the long term. 

Are you ready to get rid of chronic dry eyes for good? To schedule an appointment, call 805-388-1211 or book online.