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One of the most common complaints heard by optometrists is that of dry eyes. The patient comes into the office complaining that their eyes always itch and feel like they are burning. However these are just two of the most common forms of dry eyes others may include light sensitivity, the constant feeling like there is sand or dirt in their eyes and surprisingly enough excessive tearing or watery eyes. Many of them have tried over the counter eye drops to no avail; in cases like this the optometrist may recommend the use of prescription Restasis. The medical term for dry eyes is keratitis sicca or keratoconjunctivitis and is usually caused by the body not producing enough tears to keep the eyes properly moistened. This is a medical condition that is not covered under your vision insurance but instead is covered by most medical insurance plans since it can require the use of a prescription eye drop such as Restasis to help you cope with it. Tears are made up of three main ingredients each of which is comes from a different gland or cell, but all of which are required to produce the necessary fluids to keep your eyes properly moistened.

The bulk of the fluid in your tears comes from the lacrimal gland, the oily part comes from the meibomian glands and the last part of them comes from the goblet cells. If any one of these does not produce the necessary fluids the result is dry eyes, Restasis is designed to help replace the missing fluids and at the same time attempt to stimulate your natural tear production. Dry eye syndrome is a very common problem with over 90 million people in the US affected by it. Women are more susceptible to it than men and all persons over the age of 40 have a higher risk of becoming victims to this condition. For many the use of simple over the counter drops will suffice but for those who have severe cases of it a prescription medication such as Restasis may be the only answer to what can be a very unpleasant problem. Certain diseases and illnesses can cause the onset of dry eyes as a side effect of the main illness. Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjörgen Syndrome and acne rosacea can cause a person to experience severe dry eyes.

In cases like this the doctor will most likely prescribe medications like Restasis to help them cope with the problem. Often those who have corrective eye surgery such as Lasik, PRK or Lasek surgery will find that they will experience dry eyes that require medicated treatment to cure. If you think that you are suffering with dry eyes the first thing you need to do is contact you eye doctor and make an appointment to have you eyes checked. He can test your eyes to see how well they do or do not produce tears. If he prescribes Restasis you should make sure that you learn as much as you can before using it much like any other medication. At The Eye Pharmacy you can find out what there is to know about Restasis as well as find a reliable inexpensive source for it along with information regarding dry eyes and many other eye diseases.