National Eye Institute National Eye Institute National
Institutes of Health National Institutes of Health Dry eye
occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly, or when the
tears are not of the correct consistency and evaporate too
quickly. What is dry eye? Dry eye occurs when the eye does not
produce tears properly, or when the tears are not of the correct
consistency and evaporate too In addition, inflammation of the
surface of the eye may occur along with dry eye. If left
untreated, this condition can lead to pain, ulcers, or scars on
the cornea, and some loss of vision. However, permanent loss of
vision from dry eye is uncommon. Dry eye can make it more
difficult to perform some activities, such as using a computer
or reading for an extended period of time, and it can decrease
tolerance for dry environments, such as the air inside Other
names for dry eye include dry eye syndrome, keratoconjunctivitis
sicca (KCS), dysfunctional tear syndrome, lacrimal
keratoconjunctivitis, evaporative tear deficiency