Thankfully dry eyes rarely causes serious problems for most patients. The majority of patients experience discomfort such as tearing, intermittent blurring of vision and some mucoid discharge which are worse during certain activities of the day like reading, prolonged use of screen devices or fast-moving dry air being directed into the eyes.
These symptoms are mostly adequately managed by manipulating their environment, modifying their activities and the regular use of lubricating and secretagogue eye drops.
Rare patients may have a condition called Primary Sjogrens disease. These patients require more intensive treatment including punctal occlusion, and combination secretagogue treatment which they would receive from their ophthalmologist. Most of the complications are related to ocular surface conditions including scarring and severe forms of dry eyes / keratopathy and rarely cornea infections. Thankfully glaucoma is not a known complication of dry eyes.
Unfortunately as you can gather from my reply above, dry eyes cannot be cured, but rather managed with a combination of environment manipulation, activity modification and the regular use of lubricating eye drops and other adjunctive treatments.
ESG
