Normal vision requires a moist healthy ocular surface. A sufficient quality of tears, a normal composition of the tear film, normal lid closure, and regular blinking are among the prerequisites to maintain a healthy ocular surface.

What is Dry Eye?
Dry eye is a disorder of the tear film due to tear deficiency or excessive tear evaporation which causes damage to the interpalpebral ocular surface (i.e. exposed eye surface) and is associated with symptoms of ocular discomfort. This definition of dry eyes was adopted by the National Eye Institute workshop on dry eyes.

The eye becomes dry either because there is not enough tears being produced or because there is abnormally high rate of evaporation of tears.

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Although most people equate dry eye disease with uncomfortable eyes, serious vision complications are a distinct possibility. If untreated severe dry eye disease may lead to desiccation of the corneal epithelium, ulceration and perforation of the cornea, an increased incidence of infectious disease, and, potentially, serious visual impairment and blindness. Therefore the diagnosis and adequate treatment of dry eyes is important.

There have been several recent developments of significance. It is now being realized that part of the problem in dry eye disease is a low grade (subclinical) inflammation. The use of anti-inflammatory agents (mild steroids or cyclosporine eye drops) may help these patients. The effect of androgen deficiency is also being studied since majority of dry eye disease suffers are females.

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