What it Is & How to Keep Eyes Comfortable We've all experienced dry eyes. You go to a ball game on a hot, windy day. By the time you get home, your eyes feel raw. Or you attend a party where clouds of cigarette smoke hang over the guests. Maybe you wear your contact lenses for longer than you should, or sit at a computer for several hours without blinking often enough. The result: tired, dry eyes. When Eyes Are Always Dry For some people, dry eye is chronic. It's not caused by the environment, but by the eye's inability to produce enough tears. Sometimes dry eye results when the eyes produce poor-quality tears that evaporate too quickly. If the tear mixture of water, oil and mucus is not quite right, you may develop chronic dry eye. Dry eye syndrome is a common problem. Nearly 5 million Americans age 50 and older are estimated to have dry eye, according to the National Eye Institute. Millions of additional people have mild symptoms. Chronic dry eye syndrome can occur at any age, and in people who are otherwise healthy. It is most common, however, among those over age 40. We all produce fewer tears as we get older. Without enough tears to moisturize the eyes, they can become dry and easily irritated. Post-menopausal women are at the greatest risk because of their decreased hormone levels. Others at risk include contact lens wearers and those who have had surgery on their eyes or eyelids. Dry eye may be caused by a disease. Or it may occur as a side effect of certain medications. Most people with dry eye are uncomfortable, but have no vision loss or other complications. If left untreated, however, symptoms may worsen over time, resulting in eye inflammation, infection or damage. Talk to Your Eye Care Provider Make an appointment with your eye doctor if your eyes are dry even after the source of the irritation is gone. Tell him or her if you have any of these symptoms: * Reduced ability to see well * Stinging or burning sensation * Feeling of dryness, grittiness or soreness * Itching, redness or tearing * Eye fatigue after reading for only a short period * Sensitivity to light, smoke or wind * Blurred or double vision Your doctor will select a treatment based on the symptoms you describe and on special tear tests. For one test, a dye is placed in your eye to make the tears more visible. By viewing them under a special light, the doctor can detect whether a chemical imbalance is preventing tears from staying in the eye. Your provider may also measure the speed at which your eyes produce tears by placing a paper wick on your eyelid to collect moisture.