Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptomsImmediate ReliefDiagnosisTreatment Options
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms
Immediate Relief
Diagnosis
Treatment Options
If you suddenly develop dry eye symptoms like a burning, gritty sensation, you may wonder how this could happen. Many factors, such as a change in medication, being in a new environment, wearing contact lenses, or spending more time in front of the screen, can cause dry eye.
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Causes of New Dry Eye Symptoms
If you suddenly experiencedry eye syndromewithout any apparent reason, it’s important to investigate what may be causing it. This may be something that can quickly be remedied with a few easy steps.
Here are some common reasons you may suddenly experience dry eye:
Narrowing Down Symptoms
To figure out what’s going on, it’s important to take a closer look at the symptoms you’re experiencing. Here’swhat dry eye looks and feels like:
Immediate Steps to Take for Symptom Relief
Even before you know exactly what’s at the root of your dry eyes, you can usestrategies to soothe the uncomfortable symptomsyou’re experiencing, as follows:
Path to Dry Eye Diagnosis
The path to determining the cause of your sudden dry eyes will usually begin with an ophthalmologist or optometrist (two types of eye specialists) taking a history to determine what may have caused the symptom. You may also be asked some screening questions about the symptoms and how severe these may be.
Your eye doctor will then determine whether dryness is linked to insufficient tears (aqueous deficient dry eye) or insufficient oil in the tears (evaporative dry eye).
They may conduct tests such the following:
Besides testing, given the sudden nature of your symptoms, your practitioner may also want to rule out other things that may be causing this condition. New routines or health conditions that your provider may ask about include:
Post COVID Eye Inflammation
Your COVID-19 illness may be over, but its effect on your eyes may linger. While some people experience no eye issues, others may develop dry eye disease, pink eye (conjunctivitis),eye stroke(blockage of blood flow that damages theretinaor optic nerve), retinal hemorrhages (bleeding in the retina), or other problems.
Treatment Options Knowing Dry Eye Cause
Once your ophthalmologist or optometrist is clear on what’s causing your sudden dry eye, they may prescribe treatment beyond OTC artificial tears.
Sometimes, this is very straightforward. For example, if the practitioner finds that a systemic medication you’re taking is at the root of the problem, they may suggest switching to another drug that doesn’t have this effect.
Likewise, if contact lens wear is to blame, they may recommend wearing the lenses less, switching to another type of lens, or avoiding contact lenses altogether.
If they determine that an underlying condition like rheumatoid arthritis is to blame for dry eyes, they may tailor the dry eye treatment accordingly. They may prescribe medication such as Restasis (cyclosporine) to reduce inflammation.
If artificial tears are insufficient, they may prescribe eye inserts that release medication. You place them between the lower lid and the eye daily.
For those with Sjögren’s disease, your practitioner may prescribe Vuity (pilocarpine), a medicine that enables you to produce more tears and saliva. They may also recommend putting inpunctal plugsto keep the tears you have on the surface of the eye.
If the sudden onset of dry eye is environmentally based, your practitioner may suggest protective measures. This may include wearing sunglasses and a hat with a brim on blustery days to shield you from the wind and the evaporation of tears or using artificial tears or a gel drop if this is insufficient.
Summary
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.UC Davis Health.Dry eye.Mount Sinai.Dry eye syndrome.Harvard Health.The latest thinking on dry eye treatments.University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye institute.Dry eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology.How can I tell what’s causing my dry eye?American Academy of Ophthalmology.4 ways COVID leaves its mark on the eye.UCI Gavin Herbert Eye Institute.Dry eye.Nvision.How to address eye problems from rheumatoid arthritis.NHS.Treatment Sjogren’s syndromeVanderbilt Health.Eye care tips for windy spring days.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.UC Davis Health.Dry eye.Mount Sinai.Dry eye syndrome.Harvard Health.The latest thinking on dry eye treatments.University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye institute.Dry eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology.How can I tell what’s causing my dry eye?American Academy of Ophthalmology.4 ways COVID leaves its mark on the eye.UCI Gavin Herbert Eye Institute.Dry eye.Nvision.How to address eye problems from rheumatoid arthritis.NHS.Treatment Sjogren’s syndromeVanderbilt Health.Eye care tips for windy spring days.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
UC Davis Health.Dry eye.Mount Sinai.Dry eye syndrome.Harvard Health.The latest thinking on dry eye treatments.University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye institute.Dry eye.American Academy of Ophthalmology.How can I tell what’s causing my dry eye?American Academy of Ophthalmology.4 ways COVID leaves its mark on the eye.UCI Gavin Herbert Eye Institute.Dry eye.Nvision.How to address eye problems from rheumatoid arthritis.NHS.Treatment Sjogren’s syndromeVanderbilt Health.Eye care tips for windy spring days.
UC Davis Health.Dry eye.
Mount Sinai.Dry eye syndrome.
Harvard Health.The latest thinking on dry eye treatments.
University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye institute.Dry eye.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.How can I tell what’s causing my dry eye?
American Academy of Ophthalmology.4 ways COVID leaves its mark on the eye.
UCI Gavin Herbert Eye Institute.Dry eye.
Nvision.How to address eye problems from rheumatoid arthritis.
NHS.Treatment Sjogren’s syndrome
Vanderbilt Health.Eye care tips for windy spring days.
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