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Symptoms & Treatments Of Common Eye Problems

17 December 2014 by Julia Gregory

Unfortunately, as people get older it's not uncommon to start experiencing eye problems. Three common eye problems are: eye sties, eye floaters, and dry eye syndrome. Here are the symptoms, causes, and treatments for each of these common eye problems. 

Eye Sty

A sty is an infection that occurs on the eyelid. They are caused when bacteria become trapped inside an eyelash follicle or tear duct. When this happens; a painful, pimple-like bump forms on the eye. In most cases, a sty is nothing more than a painful nuisance, but larger sties can cause swelling and interfere with your vision. 

Most sties occur on the outside of the eyelid and will simply go away on their own. The healing process can be sped up by applying hot compresses to the affected area several times a day. If the sty opens up, simply clean the area with warm water and a cotton swab to prevent infection from spreading.

Sometimes internal sties will form under the eyelid and leave a pus-filled cyst. When this happens you must see a physician or optometrist to drain it.  After the cyst is drained you can apply warm compresses on the outside of the area to help relieve the pain.  

The best way to prevent sties is to wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your eyes. 

Eye Floaters

Eye floaters are caused by small flecks of collagen that appear in your field of vision.  Eye floaters move around in your eye and may be most noticeable when looking at something bright.  Eye floaters are not considered serious and are more bothersome than anything. 

Eye floaters usually move as the eyes move so if you notice impairment to your vision, try blinking or moving your eye to try and move it out of your way. Although eye floaters never go away fully they can get smaller with time. If you think you're experiencing eye floaters, make an appointment with an ophthalmologist to ensure it's nothing more serious. 

Dry Eye Syndrome

Dry eye syndrome is a condition when the eyes do not produce enough tears to lubricate or nourish the eye.  

When someone blinks their eyes, tears are spread across the front surface of the eye.  Artificial tears provide lubrication, reduce eye infection, help wash away foreign matter, and keep the eyes clear. These tears are different from the tears you experience when you cry. 

The most common type of dry eyes is caused by an inadequate amount of tears. Inadequate amount of tears can be caused by many things such as: age, gender, medications, medical conditions, and environmental conditions. 

People with dry eyes may experience the following symptoms; irritation, gritty, scratchy, burning, excess watering, blurred vision, or the sensation of something in their eye. An optometrist will be able to diagnose if you have dry eyes and advise treatment options. 

Treatment options include adding tears, increasing tear production, and treatment of surface inflammation. Over-the-counter artificial tear solutions can help manage mild cases of dry eyes. When your eyes start feeling dry you add a few drops to add moisture to them.  However, more persistent dry eyes don't respond to artificial tears alone and must take other steps to help treat them. 

Increasing tear production can be done by using prescription eye drops as well as taking nutritional supplements with omega-3 fatty acids. 

Many people experience dry eye syndrome because their tear ducts are inflamed or closed up. By using prescription drops, ointments, warm compresses, and eyelid cleaners you may be able to help decrease the inflammation around the tear ducts and open them back up. 

Problems with your eyes are just like any other medical condition. If you think you have a problem it's always best to consult with your physician or an optometrist, ones like Elk Grove Optometry. 

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