Dry eye syndrome is a common eye condition, particularly in older people, and it can have a significant impact on quality of life. Normally, tears are produced to protect and hydrate the surface of the eye, flush away debris, limit bacterial growth, and act as a lubricant to prevent the eyelid rubbing the surface on blinking. In some people, the quality of tear fluid is reduced, leading to dry eye syndrome.

Symptoms include irritation and burning of the eyes, which is often worse when reading or watching TV because concentrating reduces the blink rate, causing the corneas to dry further. Dry eye syndrome occurs as part of the normal ageing process, but people who wear contact lenses or who have had surgery to correct short sightedness, or who have dietary deficiencies or certain diseases that affect the immune system (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis) can also be affected. Older people and women are more likely to be affected.

Some drug treatments can also cause dry eyes. These include drugs used to treat hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and depression.

Reflection exercise

A customer who usually wears contact lenses comes to your pharmacy and tells you that she suffers from dry eye syndrome. Would you know which product(s) to recommend based on the severity of the condition and product ingredients?