{"id":1820,"date":"2026-10-20T08:52:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T08:52:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/eye-glossary\/dry-eye-syndrome\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:56:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:56:42","slug":"dry-eye-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/en\/eye-glossary\/dry-eye-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"Dry Eye Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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  1. Home<\/a><\/li>
  2. Knowledge centre<\/a><\/li>
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  4. Dry Eye Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\t\t\t

    Dry Eye Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Medically reviewed by {{surgeon}}<\/span><\/strong>, {{surgeon’s title and specialty}}<\/span>, on {{review date}}<\/span>. Last updated {{date}}<\/span>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    \"Illustration<\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
    \n\t\t<\/svg>Definition<\/span>\n\t\t\t

    Dry eye syndrome<\/strong> (also dry eye disease, dry eyes; medical name keratoconjunctivitis sicca)<\/em>: a common, usually long-term condition in which the eyes do not make enough tears, or the tears are the wrong quality or dry out too quickly. The surface of the eye is then not kept properly wet, which causes burning, grittiness, redness and blurred vision. Dry eye is usually controlled rather than cured, with lubricating drops, eyelid care and, in more severe cases, prescription treatment from an eye specialist.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

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    Dry eye syndrome: key facts<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    <\/svg>What it is<\/span><\/dt>
    A multifactorial disease of the eye surface in which the tear film loses its balance (the 2017 TFOS DEWS II definition)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Main types<\/span><\/dt>
    Aqueous-deficient (too few watery tears) and evaporative (tears evaporate too fast, often from oil-gland problems in the eyelids); the two overlap as a continuum<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>How common<\/span><\/dt>
    Estimates range from about 7% to 34% of people, depending on how dry eye is defined<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Who is at higher risk<\/span><\/dt>
    People aged 50 and over, women, contact lens wearers, heavy screen users, and people with autoimmune disease such as Sj\u00f6gren’s syndrome<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Typical symptoms<\/span><\/dt>
    Stinging, burning, gritty feeling, redness, light sensitivity, blurred vision, sometimes watery eyes<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Usual outcome<\/span><\/dt>
    Long-term, with treatment that is typically needed over the long term; most people can control it<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Specialist<\/span><\/dt>
    Ophthalmologist; at Laser Istanbul Clinic, Do\u00e7. Dr. Muhammet Derda \u00d6zer (cornea), with Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sat\u0131c\u0131 and Op. Dr. Aysan Bayram for pre-laser and cataract assessment<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
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    What are tears made of, and what goes wrong in dry eye?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

    Tears are not just water. The tear film has three layers, and dry eye can start in any of them:<\/p>\n\t\t\t

    Layer<\/th>Made by<\/th>What it does<\/th>What goes wrong<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Oily (outer) layer<\/strong><\/th>Meibomian glands in the eyelid edges<\/td>Slows evaporation of the tear film<\/td>Blocked or poorly working glands (meibomian gland dysfunction) let tears evaporate too fast<\/td><\/tr>
    Watery (middle) layer<\/strong><\/th>Lacrimal glands above the eyes<\/td>Wets and nourishes the surface<\/td>Too little watery tear is made (aqueous-deficient dry eye)<\/td><\/tr>
    Mucus (inner) layer<\/strong><\/th>The conjunctiva<\/td>Helps the tear stick to and spread over the cornea<\/td>Poor spreading leaves dry patches<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

    The US National Eye Institute describes three routes to dry eye: not enough tears made, tears evaporating too quickly, and tears of poor quality that do not keep the eye wet. In practice many people have a mix. The TFOS DEWS II international report also lists tear film instability, increased tear salt concentration (hyperosmolarity) and inflammation of the eye surface as part of the disease.<\/p><\/div>\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

    Dry eye symptoms: what do dry eyes feel like?<\/h2><\/div>

    The most common dry eye symptoms, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the NHS and the NEI, are:<\/p>\n