Can my dry eye be cured?

This is an incredibly important question and one that needs an honest answer. All too often we talk about treatments for dry eye but the reality is that currently there is no cure. Dry eye is a chronic disease which means that it will not go away, we should instead be talking about managing and controlling this common eye condition.

A failure to manage your dry eye effectively will result in a slow progression in symptom severity and frequency. In some cases this can lead to permanent damage to the surface of the eye and significant loss of vision quality.

The Dry Eye Zone believes this to be the single most vital educational message any one affected by dry eye should receive as it makes it absolutely clear why you must take control!

Where should you start?

The first step towards taking control is to get a diagnosis from your eye care professional. This is essential as dry eye is a complex ocular disease with potentially multiple overlapping causes. There are a growing number of independent opticians who are specialists in this area and will be able to tell you what type of dry eye you have and the best management strategies for you.

How is a diagnosis achieved?

Your eye care professional will examine the surface of your eye, your eye lids and measure the quantity and stability of your tears. Some may also have more advanced diagnostic tools to measure the osmolarity (salt concentration) of your tears, a meibographer to analyse the meibomian glands (that secrete natural oils into the tear film) in the eyelids or InflammaDry, a lateral-flow test which measures MMP-9 a biomarker for inflammation.

What is happening?

Dry eye occurs when there is a loss in your natural tear quality or quality, ultimately causing a change to the natural balance to your ocular environment. The result of these changes is that your tears become saltier and an inflammatory response is triggered.

What happens if you ignore your dry eye?

If ignored there will be a steady progression in the severity of symptoms, this can take place over many years. But the good news is that with a disciplined management routine you can bring a halt to the advancement of your dry eye.

The complications which can be experienced potentially cause a reduction in your quality of life. This can range from no longer being able to wear your favourite eyeliner and an inability to wear your contact lenses, to more serious affects such as increased light sensitivity and a loss in vision quality that impacts your ability to comfortably read or drive. In the most severe cases there could be damage to the surface of the eye leading to corneal infections – but you can avoid this through following the advice of your eye care professional.

What needs to be done

The inflammatory response is cyclical and will continue getting more severe unless the cycle is broken. You do this by restoring the natural balance to the tears saltiness – this can be achieved through a variety of strategies which will work together to achieve the best results.

This may include adding artificial tears, promoting the flow of your own tears, slowing the rate of tear loss and/or making changes to your life style. You can learn more about all these options at the Dry Eye Zone.

Why dry eye so difficult to deal with

In the early stages symptoms are mild, in fact some people do not experience any symptoms at all, and these symptoms can easily be confused with other conditions such as an allergy. One of the reasons why dry eye is so tricky to get on top of is because it can have multiple causes and the management routines may require a high degree of commitment with often daily attention.

How long does dry eye take to become severe

There is no exact time frame and it will vary between individuals, but the most severe symptoms will only develop if you leave your dry eye unchecked for an extended period of time. However, as you age you will find that the situation can start to escalate, it would be far better to try to avoid this happening. The good news is that if you do take active steps to manage your dry eye, you can slow or stop any further progression.

Why is dry eye so difficult to treat?

The reason dry eye is so difficult to manage is because right from the start the disease causes damage to the surface of the eye and eyelids. This is most simply illustrated by meibomian gland dysfunction, a common cause of dry eye, this condition results in the atrophy (wasting away) of the glands which produce a critical component of your tears. Once these glands have been lost they cannot be recovered – a sobering thought.

When should I start managing my dry eye

It will not surprise you to know that the Dry Eye Zone recommends that you start taking control today. The sooner you start to bring relief to your dry, tired, itch eyes the better, as it may avoid you having to face far worse symptoms as you age. All you have to do is book an appointment to see your eye care professional and tell them about your symptoms – if you do not have one then message the Dry Eye Zone and we will find you an expert in your area.

Future hope

Researchers continue to develop new therapies, such as light therapy, and medications to address the growing level of dry eye in the population. This investment means that newer and better solutions are on the horizon. But do not delay – harness the expertise of your independent practitioners in order to have the best long-term outcome for your eyes.

Make sure you explore the many links in this blog to bring more depth to the subjects touched on here and to help give you a fuller knowledge of all things dry eye related.

You can learn more about all things dry eye related at the DRY EYE ZONE. Don’t forget to subscribe to the regular free information and research updates.

If you are experiencing dry eye symptoms then you should ask the advice of your eye care professional. Why not book your next eye examination with an independent optician today.

Sources:

L. Jones et al. TFOS DEWS II Management and Therapy Report. The Ocular Surface xxx (2017) 580e634

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.006

American Academy of Ophthalmology. Reena Mukamal, Christopher E Starr, MD. Why Is Dry Eye So Difficult to Treat?

January 24, 2025. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/fix-dry-eye-treatment-eyedrops

Optometrists Network. Consequences of Untreated Dry Eyes. Dr. Russel Lazarus. https://www.optometrists.org/general-practice-optometry/guide-to-eye-conditions/dry-eye/what-is-dry-eye-syndrome/consequences-of-untreated-dry-eyes/

Gupta PK, Toyos R, Sheppard JD, Toyos M, Mah FS, Bird B, Theriot PE, Higgins D. Tolerability of Current Treatments for Dry Eye Disease: A Review of Approved and Investigational Therapies. Clin Ophthalmol. 2024 Aug 16;18:2283-2302. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S465143. PMID: 39165367; PMCID: PMC11334916. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11334916/

Messmer EM. The pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of dry eye disease. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2015 Jan 30;112(5):71-81; quiz 82. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2015.0071. PMID: 25686388; PMCID: PMC4335585.

akashi Kojima. Contact Lens-Associated Dry Eye Disease: Recent Advances Worldwide and in Japan.

Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science November 2018, Vol.59, DES102-DES108. doi:https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.17-23685

Yeu E, Koetting C, Calvelli H. Prevalence of Meibomian Gland Atrophy in Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery. Cornea. 2023 Nov 1;42(11):1355-1359. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000003234. Epub 2023 Jan 11. PMID: 36728320; PMCID: PMC10538615. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10538615/