Dry eye syndrome, also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is a condition where your eyes do not make enough tears, or your tears evaporate too quickly. This can lead to your eyes drying out, and becoming inflamed.
How common is dry eye syndrome?
Dry eye syndrome is a common condition. However, estimates of how many people are affected by the condition vary. Some studies have suggested that between 17-30% of people experience dry eye syndrome at some point during their life.
Who is affected by dry eye syndrome?
Dry eye syndrome is more likely to affect people who are over the age of 60, and the condition is more common among women than men.
The symptoms of dry eye syndrome can be mild or severe, and include itchiness or scratchiness around your eyes, as well as blurred vision.
Dry eye syndrome is normally not serious. However, there are some rare cases where severe untreated dry eye syndrome has caused visual impairment and scarring of the eye's surface.
