Q. My eyes are extremely sensitive to bright light and wind following corrective eye surgery I had six years ago. This is especially the case in the winter when the air is dry. My eyes feel really tired and are frequently red and watery. Is there anything I can do?

A. You are having symptoms of dry eyes and sensitivity to light and wind. Start by seeing your eye doctor who performed the surgery to see in what way the symptoms may be related to the procedure that was done. The next question would be whether these symptoms represent some underlying condition that needs attention. For example, the high sugar levels in the bloodstream of diabetics cause thirst and other symptoms of dehydration.

A visit to your doctor for a general exam which will likely include some lab work to determine if your metabolism is working well. The lab work would include measurements of your glucose (sugar) and electrolytes (minerals). If this exam is fine, then the focus can be directed to the eyes. Certainly allergies can cause such symptoms, as can fatigue, and a side effect of many medications can include dry eyes. Establishihg a correct diagnosis will be the key to your treatment.

http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/DryEyeSyndrome.asp

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003031.htm

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