Vision Therapy in Austin

Spotting the Signs of Dry Eye

(512) 343-0432

Understanding the Symptoms

Dry eye is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide, and its symptoms can vary in severity. It's crucial to recognize the signs of dry eye early to seek appropriate treatment and improve your eye health and comfort.

man with sore eyes


Common Symptoms to Look Out For

woman with red eyes

Experiencing dry eye symptoms can greatly affect your daily life and overall health. These symptoms can disrupt your work, hobbies, and even your ability to carry out everyday tasks comfortably.

The constant discomfort and distraction caused by these symptoms can lower your productivity and overall quality of life. 

Here are common signs that may indicate dry eye syndrome:

  • Dryness:
    A persistent sensation of dryness, grittiness, or eye irritation.
  • Itching:
    Frequent itching or a burning sensation in and around the eyes.
  • Redness:
    Bloodshot or red eyes, often accompanied by discomfort.·
  • Excessive Tearing:
    Paradoxically, your eyes may produce more tears as a response to dryness, leading to watery eyes.
  • Blurry Vision:
    Vision may become temporarily blurred, particularly when reading or using digital screens.
  • Light Sensitivity:
    Increased sensitivity to light, known as photophobia.
  • Foreign Body Sensation:
    Feeling as though something is in your eye.
  • Eye Fatigue:
    Increased eye fatigue, especially during prolonged periods of reading, screen time, or other visually demanding tasks.

Ignoring dry eye symptoms can lead to worsening discomfort and potential complications. Chronic dry eye can damage the eye's surface and increase the risk of eye infections, scarring, and vision loss. Seeking professional guidance if you're experiencing any of these symptoms is crucial.


Dry Eye Diagnosis and Expert Care

When you choose Far West Optical for your dry eye care, you benefit from our expertise in comprehensive diagnosis. We understand that your unique health history and lifestyle can affect your dry eye differently, which is why we practice personalized care tailored to you. Our approach includes:

  • In-Depth Eye Exams

    During a comprehensive eye exam, we evaluate your eyelids, eye surface, and your complete health history and lifestyle to identify potential underlying causes of dry eyes.

  • Tear Assessment

    We conduct a detailed assessment of your tears, measuring their volume and quality. This assessment helps us identify any deficiencies in tear quantity or quality, crucial factors in dry eye diagnosis.

  • Tear Breakup Time

    Using advanced techniques like tear breakup time measurement, we identify specific areas of your eyes where tears may evaporate more rapidly. This information aids in tailoring your treatment plan.

  • Specialized Dry Eye Test: Schirmer Test

    This test involves placing blotting test paper strips on the lower eyelids to measure tear production over a specific time. It helps determine the volume of tears your eyes produce.

Patient Reviews
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216 Reviews
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- Sep. 04, 2024
Excellent service and great selection of frames
- Aug. 21, 2024
Dr. Gasser is AMAZING and her staff and phenomenal!
- Jul. 15, 2024
Great doctors, good staff, and Gloria is an excellent optician!! She always gets my glasses right o... n the first try.
- Jul. 06, 2024
Very knowledgeable and professional. Answered all my questions.
- Jun. 30, 2024
The staff here are always helpful, courteous from scheduling to picking out frames, getting repairs ... and replacements done! Thank you!
- Jun. 23, 2024
They are competent and helpful.
- Jun. 19, 2024
Overall great experience! Staff was friendly and helpful and so were there HCP.
- Jun. 15, 2024
I highly recommend Far West Optical. Very helpful and knowledgeable staff.
- Jun. 11, 2024
Great service and the doctor was very nice
- May. 29, 2024
Thoughtful and thorough experience. I highly recommend Far West Optical.
- May. 11, 2024
dr. H is a great optometrist! he explains things in layman's terms, is patient, a great listener, a... nd all around a great person. HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommended!
- Apr. 29, 2024
What an amazing place! Everyone was kind, helpful, and seemed to enjoy what they were doing. So happ... y to have found this office! Loved Dr. Gasser who explained everything to me so that I fully understood! Don’t let the “curb appeal” fool you, this place is wonderful!
- Apr. 29, 2024
I’m so glad I found a wonderful eye Dr near me. She is very nice and thorough . The staff is nice ... and very efficient. It was a nice, comfortable process to get my new glasses.
- Apr. 20, 2024
Not pushy, down to earth!
- Apr. 10, 2024
Great team at Far West Optical! High tech and high touch.
- Mar. 22, 2024
I felt my eyes were in good, competent, and kind hands
- Feb. 27, 2024
Dr. Gasser was professional and thorough. She explained my eye exam results well. Staff was friend... ly and professional. Office was well equipped and clean.
- Feb. 26, 2024
The best experience I’ve ever had with an optometrist! I’m a new patient and Dr. Gasser has trea... ted me like a long-time valued customer. She’s been very empathetic and diligent in identifying my dry eye symptoms, and referred me to a specialty clinic that has done wonders for my treatment. Dr. Gasser also put me in new, much more comfortable contact lenses and her front desk staff price matched my contacts order to give me the best price I’ve had in years of wearing contacts. Will never go anywhere else!
- Feb. 12, 2024
Dr. Gasser is friendly and efficient. Thanks!
- Jan. 14, 2024
Dr. Haselhorst talked me through the entire appointment about what he was doing and provided me with... extra contacts and solution. Ms. Karla Morse is an amazing practice manager. She price matched my contacts and helped me find new glasses.

View All 216 Reviews

Dry Eyes in Austin

Our optometry practice in Austin

Photograph of Erik  Haselhorst
Hours
  • Monday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
  • Friday 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • United Healthcare
  • Aetna
  • Cigna
  • Superior Vision
  • Davis Vision
  • Anthem
  • Blue Cross

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Consult Our Dry Eye Experts

At Far West Optical, our experienced eye care specialists are ready to help you find relief from dry eye symptoms. We understand these symptoms' impact on your daily life and are committed to improving your eye health and comfort.

Contact us to schedule an appointment and discuss your dry eye symptoms. Let's work together to find the most suitable treatment and enhance your quality of life.

(512) 343-0432