Dry eye syndrome is a chronic lack of sufficient moisture on the surface of the eye with reduced lubrication of the ocular surface which in turn results in a variety of symptoms which range from subtle but constant irritation or foreign body sensation to ocular inflammation of the anterior (front) tissues of the eye which presents with redness and pain in the eyes .Dry eyes also are described by the medical term, keratitis sicca, which generally means decreased quality or quantity of tears.
Persistent dryness, itching, grittiness and a burning sensation in the eyes can be symptoms of dry eyes and may require further evaluation.Another symptom of dry eyes is a “foreign body sensation,” the feeling that something is in the eye. Dry eye syndrome can also cause excessively watery eyes. This is because dryness on the eye’s surface sometimes will overstimulate production of the watery component of your tears as a protective mechanism.