Do you suffer from burning, irritated, or tired eyes? Do your eyes feel dry, while sometimes tearing excessively? Then you are not alone. Dry eyes are among the most common eye complaints and can have a major impact on daily comfort.
Although dry eyes are often viewed as an eye problem, the skin, the eyelid margins, and the sebaceous glands around the eyes also play an important role. As a skin therapist, I therefore look not only at what is visible but also at factors that can influence the health of the eyelid margins and the stability of the tear film.
I am not an ophthalmologist or optometrist. In case of warning signs or doubt, I always refer patients to a specialist. However, from a skin therapy perspective, I can offer support for complaints related to the skin around the eyes, eyelid margin problems, rosacea, and meibomian gland dysfunction.
Suffering from dry, burning, or watery eyes?
During an initial consultation, we will discuss your symptoms and whether dermatological support is appropriate. For symptoms requiring an ophthalmological examination, I will refer you.
The surface of the eye is protected by a thin tear film. This tear film consists of multiple layers that work together to keep the eye comfortable, smooth, and well protected.
In many people with dry eyes, not only is the amount of tear fluid reduced, but the quality of the tear film is particularly disrupted. As a result, the tear fluid present evaporates more quickly, causing irritation of the eye surface.
The information I use in my practice describes that the meibomian glands produce an oily substance, the meibum, as part of the tear film. This layer of fat helps prevent tear fluid from evaporating too quickly. When these glands function poorly or become blocked, symptoms such as dry eyes, burning, irritation, tired eyes, redness of the eyelid margins, and a gritty feeling can occur.
Dozens of meibomian glands are located in the upper and lower eyelids. These are specialized sebaceous glands that produce a thin layer of fat as part of the tear film.
This layer of fat is essential for a stable eye surface. When the meibomian glands produce insufficient oil, the tear film becomes unstable, and symptoms may develop or worsen.
This is also known as
meibomian gland dysfunction
named, internationally known as
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
or MGD. In practice, I see that this is often associated with symptoms such as burning, a gritty feeling, fluctuating vision, light sensitivity, redness of the eyelid margins, and tired eyes.
Many people find it strange that dry eyes can actually lead to watery eyes. Yet, this occurs regularly.
When the surface of the eye becomes irritated, the body tries to compensate by producing extra tear fluid.These reflex tears often provide only brief relief, because they do not contribute sufficiently to a stable protective layer on the eye.
As a result, dry eyes and watery eyes can be present simultaneously. I frequently see precisely this combination in cases of a disrupted tear film and problems with the eyelid margins.
When meibomian glands function poorly for an extended period, a vicious cycle of irritation, inflammation, and further disruption of the eyelid margins can develop.
Symptoms that may be associated with this are:
In practice, this regularly overlaps with
eyelid margin inflammation
, also known as blepharitis. Early recognition of these factors can be important to limit further disruption of the tear film.
Many people know rosacea as a condition that causes redness, flushing, and visible blood vessels in the face. It is less well known that rosacea can also affect the skin around the eyes, the eyelid margins, and the meibomian glands.
In practice, this combination is also known as
ocular rosacea
mentioned. Not everyone with rosacea develops eye problems, but the combination certainly does occur. Therefore, during a consultation, I look not only at the skin of the face, but also at the skin around the eyes and the condition of the eyelid margins.
Especially with redness, vascular reactivity, and sensitive skin, that broader look can be important.
Within skin therapy, the guidance focuses on the skin and eyelid margins around the eyes. This may consist of:
In addition,
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)
Described in the clinical literature as a possible supplementary treatment for the under-eye area and the cheekbone region. In this case, the eye itself is not treated, but exclusively the skin surrounding the eyes.
During the treatment, the eyes are protected with special eye protection; treatment is not performed on the eyeball, the movable eyelid, or directly against the lash line. In the literature, IPL is linked to a possible influence on redness, superficial blood vessels, inflammatory processes, and processes involved in symptoms consistent with impaired meibomian gland function. At the same time, it remains important to phrase this carefully: the exact mechanisms of action are still being investigated, and no guarantee of results can be given in advance.
Treatment is usually carried out in a course of multiple treatments at intervals, after which it is evaluated whether follow-up or maintenance treatments are desirable.
Could blocked meibomian glands explain your symptoms?
In cases of diagnosed meibomian gland dysfunction, IPL can be an additional treatment. See how I work with the Lumenis M22, who the treatment is suitable for, and what you can expect.
For symptoms consistent with dry eyes or reduced meibomian gland function, heat can be supportive. Consider, for example, placing a clean, warm washcloth or a heated eye mask on closed eyes for a few minutes, followed by a gentle massage of the eyelids towards the lash line, without applying pressure to the eyeball.
Such advice must always be tailored to the individual situation. That is why I like to help assess what is and isn't sensible during a consultation.
Sudden loss of vision, severe pain, a red eye on one side, double vision, flashes of light, or other acute eye symptoms must always be evaluated by a doctor or eye care professional.
Additional assessment is also required in cases of persistent dry eyes, pain, sudden changes in vision, or suspicion of an ophthalmological condition. For persistent symptoms, I collaborate with the general practitioner, optometrist, or ophthalmologist where necessary.
The skin around the eyes and the eyelid margins plays an important role in the stability of the tear film. Drawing on my background as a skin therapist, I look at factors such as rosacea, skin sensitivity, eyelid margin problems, and vascular reactivity that may contribute to dry eye symptoms.
So I look not only at the symptom, but at the whole picture surrounding it: the skin, the eye area, the eyelid margins, and the conditions that can influence the function of the meibomian glands.
This makes skin therapy not a replacement for ophthalmological care, but a valuable addition for conditions where skin, redness, and eyelid margin problems occur together.
Do you suffer from dry, burning, or tired eyes, and would you like to know what role the skin, eyelid margins, and meibomian glands might play in this? Then I would be happy to take a look with you during a consultation at the practice or via a video consultation.
Together, we will examine which factors may be contributing to your symptoms and what skin therapeutic support might be appropriate.
Dry eyes, eyelid margin inflammation, meibomian gland dysfunction, and rosacea often overlap.Therefore, this guidance falls within my
Red collection
for redness, vascular reactivity and inflammation-prone skin.
Suffering from dry, burning, or watery eyes?
During an initial consultation, we will discuss your symptoms and whether dermatological support is appropriate. For symptoms requiring an ophthalmological examination, I will refer you.
Common complaints include burning, irritation, tired eyes, a gritty feeling, light sensitivity, fluctuating vision, redness of the eyelid margins, and sometimes excessive tearing.
Yes. When the surface of the eye becomes irritated, the body can produce extra tear fluid. These reflex tears usually do not protect the eye for long, which means dry eyes and watery eyes can occur simultaneously.
Meibomian gland dysfunction means that the meibomian glands in the eyelids function less effectively or become blocked. As a result, the lipid layer of the tear film becomes less stable, and tear fluid can evaporate more quickly.
Yes, that relationship exists. Rosacea can affect not only the skin of the face, but also the skin around the eyes, the eyelid margins, and the meibomian glands. This is also known as ocular rosacea.
IPL is described as a possible adjunctive treatment for complaints associated with meibomian gland dysfunction and ocular rosacea. In this case, the skin around the eyes is treated, not the eye itself. Whether this is appropriate always depends on the individual situation.
Assessment by a doctor or eye care professional is always necessary in the event of sudden vision loss, severe pain, a red eye on one side, double vision, flashes of light, or other acute eye symptoms.
What happens with dry eyes?
The role of the meibomian glands
Why watery eyes can actually be dry
Clogged meibomian glands and chronic irritation
The relationship between rosacea and dry eyes
Skin therapeutic support for dry eyes
Heat and eyelid hygiene
When is it wise to consult a doctor?
Why see a skin therapist for dry eyes?
Personal advice for your situation
Frequently asked questions about dry eyes
What are the symptoms of dry eyes?
Can watery eyes also be dry eyes?
What is meibomian gland dysfunction?
Is there a relationship between rosacea and dry eyes?
Can IPL help with dry eyes?
When should I consult a doctor?
Important:
Skin therapy is not a substitute for ophthalmological care. In case of warning signs or doubt, assessment by a doctor or eye care professional is always necessary.