Dry eyes is a common condition that occurs when tears are not able to provide adequate lubrication for our eyes. Tears can be inadequate for many reasons. For example, dry eyes may occur if we don't produce enough tears or if we produce poor-quality tears.

Dry eyes feel uncomfortable. If someone have dry eyes, their eyes may sting or burn. They may experience dry eyes in certain situations, such as on an airplane, in an air-conditioned room, while riding a bike or after looking at a computer screen for a few hours.

Treatments for dry eyes may make you more comfortable. These treatments can include lifestyle changes and eyedrops.They likely need to take these measures indefinitely to control the symptoms of dry eyes.

CAUSES OF DRY EYES

Dry eye are caused by a lack of adequate tear.Tears are a complex mixture of water,fatty oils and mucus.This mixture helps the surface of our eyes smooth and clear and it help protect our eyes from infection.

SYMPTOMS OF DRY EYES

Signs and symptoms, which usually affect both eyes, may include:

• A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in our eyes
• Stringy mucus in or around our eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Eye redness
• A sensation of having something in our eyes
• Difficulty wearing contact lenses
• Difficulty with nighttime driving
• Watery eyes, which is the body's response to the irritation of dry eyes
• Blurred vision or eye fatigue

DECREASED TEAR PRODUCTION

Dry eyes can occur when we re unable to produce enough tears. The medical term for this condition is keratoconjunctivitis sicca (ker-uh-toe-kun-junk-tih-VY-tis SIK-uh). Common causes of decreased tear production include:

• Aging
• Certain medical conditions, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome, thyroid disorders and vitamin A deficiency
• Certain medications, including antihistamines, decongestants, hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, and drugs for high blood pressure, acne, birth control and Parkinson's disease
• Laser eye surgery, though symptoms of dry eyes related to this procedure are usually temporary
• Tear gland damage from inflammation or radiation

INCREASED TEAR EVAPORATION

Common causes of increased tear evaporation include:

• Wind, smoke or dry air
• Blinking less often, which tends to occur when we are concentrating, for example, while reading, driving or working at a computer
• Eyelid problems, such as out-turning of the lids (ectropion) and in-turning of the lids (entropion)

IMBALANCE IN TEAR COMPOSITION

The tear film has three basic layers: oil, water and mucus. Problems with any of these layers can cause dry eyes. For example, the oil film produced by small glands on the edge of our eyelids (meibomian glands) might become clogged. Blocked meibomian glands are more common in people with inflammation along the edge of their eyelids (blepharitis), rosacea or other skin disorders.

HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINE:

1. Aconite : Usefu medicine for Dry Eyes with marked redness.Very useful to decrease the redness of eyes.Very useful when pain in eyes get worse with the motion of eyes. There is feeling of sand-like gritty  in eyes . There is an increased thirst for water in large quantities as an accompanying symptom.

2. Belladonna : Useful for dry Eyes with pain. There is throbbing or shooting pain in eye. Thre is  heaviness  in eye with pain and a few persons complain of extension of pain from eyes to the head. Along with pain in eyes, there may appear redness, heat, and itching in eyes. Aversion to light also seems to be present along with these symptoms.

3. Sulphur : Useful for dry eye with itching and burning in eyes. Useful for burning,tickling with gritty , smarting sensation in the eyes. There is dryness with itching and burning in eyes.Useful for dry eye when the dryness of eyes gets a little better in the open air while being in a room worsens the dryness. There is an acute aversion to light, especially sunlight. There is blurring of vision while reading. 

4. Arsenic Album : Useful for dry eyes which is worsens in artificial light.There is marked dryness of eyes with sensitivity to light accompanied by burning in the eyes. Useful for aching or shooting pain in eyes. Useful when the swelling, redness, and heat in eyes get worse in artificial light.

5. Natrum Mur : Useful for dry eyes when the condition worsens with reading. Useful in relieving burning, smarting pain in eyes with dryness in eyes on reading.There is sand-like sensation in eyes and blurring or dimness of vision with Dry Eyes while reading. Very useful for pain in eyes and head that gets excited on reading.