Dry Eye Syndrome

Definition:  Burning or foreign body sensation usually associated with excessive tearing.  Usually bilateral and chronic. 

Signs/Symptoms:  

• Reduced  tears-feeling of dryness 

• Decreased tear break-up time (10 sec or longer is considered normal)

  • Tear break up time: from a blink to the appearance of tear film deficit after instillation of one drop proparacaine and fluorescein strip)

Differential Diagnosis: 

• Blepharitis

• Chronic Exposure (due to abnormal closure of eyelids)

Evaluation:

• Visual acuity

• History and physical examination

• Slit lamp examination if possible

Treatment:

• Artificial tears (or normal saline) every 2 –4 hours and more often as necessary

• Lubricating ointment at bedtime if more severe

Prognosis:  

• Mild -very good

• Severe-requires a more extensive evaluation by an ophthalmologist

Causes:  Causes may include:

Watch standing in the engineering spaces (extreme heat)

Exposure to extreme cold conditions while standing watch

Sun over-exposure (ultraviolet radiation).  

Though this can be annoying to the patient it should not interfere with their duties.

This section provided by CAPT Robert B. North, Jr., MC, USN

Home  ·  Military Medicine  ·  Sick Call  ·  Basic Exams  ·  Medical Procedures  ·  Lab and X-ray  ·  The Pharmacy  ·  The Library  ·  Equipment  ·  Patient Transport  ·  Medical Force Protection  ·  Operational Safety  ·  Operational Settings  ·  Special Operations  ·  Humanitarian Missions  ·  Instructions/Orders  ·  Other Agencies  ·  Video Gallery  ·  Forms  ·  Web Links  ·  Acknowledgements  ·  Help  ·  Feedback

Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited.

*This web version is provided by The Brookside Associates, LLC.  It contains original contents from the official US Navy NAVMED P-5139, but has been reformatted for web access and includes advertising and links that were not present in the original version. The medical information presented was reviewed and felt to be accurate in 2001. Medical knowledge and practice methods may have changed since that time. Some links may no longer be active. This web version has not been approved by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the US Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. The Brookside Associates is a private organization, not affiliated with the United States Department of Defense.

© 2015, Brookside Associates, LLC. All rights reserved

Other Brookside Products