Burning. Itching. Painfully dry eyes. Everyone experiences this at some point. For many people, however, the problem is a painful and difficult to deal with everyday occurrence. When this is the case, it might seem like there's no help available. But there are many medical and over the counter solutions available to help. Dry eye syndrome is a real phenomena that affects many people every day.



Dry eye syndrome is perhaps one of the most common afflictions people go to the eye doctor for. It's estimated more than 10 million people in America alone suffer from the problem. The situation generally presents when there is a problem with the quality of tears that lubricate the eye naturally. The causes are many, but in most cases it's just normal aging that's to blame.

Tears themselves are very important for the eye. They are necessary for the eyes to function correctly. Although we mostly think of tears as the drops that fall from our eyes when we're sad, they are actually more complex that that. There are three layers to the tear film that covers the eye. The mucus layer covers the cornea and helps provide protection. The middle layer of the tear film is called the aqueous layer. This provides all the moisture and necessary oxygen for the eye. The final layer is the outer one; it has an oily film that helps seal the eye and keep moisture in. When one of these parts doesn't function correctly, the eyes may generate the condition that's called dry eye syndrome.

The symptoms of the syndrome are many and most may seem minor, but for those who suffer from it the condition is painful. Typical symptoms include itching, burning, redness, blurred vision, excessive tearing and more.

There are a number of causes for the syndrome. One of the biggest reasons is normal aging. During the aging process, bodies produce less oil than they used to. When there's an oil deficiency in the body, it can affect the tear film. Without the oil to seal in the water layer, the eye can become dry and irritated. Other causes include climate, smoke, eye strain and more.

Treating dry eye syndrome is generally a fairly easy undertaking. In most cases, eye drops, either over the counter or prescription, that fill in for natural fluids and oils can do the trick. Whether over the counter medicine or prescription drops are needed, they are important to use to bring the eye back to its normal condition. Dry eye syndrome can come from a number of causes, so it's best to let a professional diagnosis the situation first.

Once diagnosed, there are a number of solutions to help make the eyes feel better. There's no need to go around with eyes that are burning, itching and generally uncomfortable. Medical science has been pretty successful in creating "fake tears" to help ease the pain in the eyes and enable them to function better.

When burning, itching and red eyes are present, it might be a one-time situation or it could be a sign of dry eye syndrome. There is help available.