Vision Therapy in Reston

Spotting the Signs of Dry Eye

(703) 709-5400

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 The Eyewear Gallery 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
4.8
260 Reviews
5
4
3
2
1
- Oct. 04, 2024
The staff is friendly and helpful. The Doctor is sharp, smart and honest. I am very pleased witht ... the diagnosis and recommendations. I would highly recommend this group when you have the slightest question about your eyes and/or eyewear.
- Sep. 20, 2024
Great experience with the doctor and staff. Only recommendation, inventory needs a bit if a refresh ... - styles are very similar across brands.
- Sep. 16, 2024
I just met Josh, your new optician. He was able to adjust my frames and they finally fit! Thank you,... Josh! IMO it’s the long-term maintenance of frames that really make the difference in customer service. Josh is a great addition to your staff. Keep up the good work!
- Aug. 23, 2024
In my opinion, the check-in software could be friendlier. If the check-in could be sent out in a te... xt and completed ahead of time, the in office check would go a lot smoother. Otherwise, the service was great.
- Aug. 10, 2024
New location is great and provides a larger selection of frames
- Jul. 26, 2024
I cannot say enough positive things about Dr. Gammon and her staff. I've been going here for years -... probably well over a decade by now. You will get the best treatment as well as any recommendations or referrals for services outside of her expertise / license. Her staff are incredible. On top of all that, they have the most varied options in frames I've found in NoVa.
- Jul. 20, 2024
Great staff. Jackie exceeds my ‘excellent’ rating.
- Jul. 19, 2024
Literally, the folks that work here have superb customer service. I came in with my glasses, broken ... and the gentleman. Fred did everything you could do to get my glasses back in order. Fred even left the building to go to a storage area to look for donated glasses that might match my temples, which he did find. You do not find this kind of Customer Service Ed Barry many places anymore I am greatly appreciative of what they provided for me and on a special note. They did not charge me one cent. Kudos to everybody there. Thank you so much!
- May. 09, 2024
I had a bit of an issue with a screw coming out of my frames last night. I came to this store today... based on the reviews I saw here and I was not dissapointed. The staff was very friendly and my main man Fred fixed my frames in about 5 minutes. Top notch place. Highly recommend!
- Apr. 18, 2024
Great selection of high quality eyewear, and Jackie was super kind and patient in helping me adjust ... a pair of my sunglasses that had a bent frame. Would 100% recommend coming here for all your optical needs.
- Dec. 27, 2023
Great experience at this lovely little shop. I was 100% that customer who takes forever to pick a fr... ame and worries about every penny spent...AND didn't have an appointment (🤭)..but Jackie and Casey were generous with knowledge, super patient and wonderfully charming despite me taking an embarassingly long time to choose (there were so many cute pairs-- shockingly in my price range). I finally found the perfect pair when all was said and done and felt so great about it. In this economy you wanna feel good when you have to make significant purchases-- I'm so glad I chose this Reston gem for my prescription lenses today!
- Nov. 29, 2023
I went to the eyewear gallery for dry eye treatment. The OptiLight treatment has transformed the hea... lth of my eyes. Before the treatment I was using artificial tears all day every day, and now I've been able to stop medicated eye drops and hardly use tears. Dr. Gammon went the extra mile and treated my facial rosacea as well, which has significantly reduced my redness and flair up discomfort. I am so grateful that Dr. Gammon added this treatment to her practice. Really appreciate all that you guys do!
- Sep. 07, 2023
popped in for a quick repair of my frames - which were not purchased at Eyewear Gallery. Very oblig... ing, got the job done and would not take any money. Very happy and thank you Eyewear Gallery!!
- Sep. 01, 2023
I’m here from out of state & my frame got bent. I went in & they were able to fix them for at no c... harge & they were so nice!!
- Jul. 28, 2023
Absolutely incredible shop! They have a wide variety of options but most importantly their customer ... service is among the best I have ever experienced. Went in with a non-standard issue and they were able to get me exactly what I needed immediately. Highly recommend this shop to anyone looking for sunglasses or eyeglasses. Thank you!!
- Jul. 27, 2023
Had a truly incredible experience here solely due to Jackie. She made sure I was comfortable and end... ed up in the right pair for me, even as picky as I was! She provided excellent guidance and personal opinion, something vital in the glasses try on process. I will absolutely be back here and plan to switch to this office for my next eye exam because of how amazing the buying frames experience was!
- Jul. 22, 2023
Great service, amazing people! Specially Cinnamon who was friendly and welcoming. 👍👍 Would rea... lly recommend this place to everyone!!!
- Jul. 11, 2023
So very helpful!
- Jun. 29, 2023
Very helpful and fast repairs for my glasses, thank you ladies!
- Jun. 27, 2023
Wonderful selection of eyewear- very friendly, knowledgeable, & attentive staff!!! Very impressed.

View All 260 Reviews

Dry Eyes in Reston

Our optometry practice in Reston

Photograph of Dawn D.  Gammon
Hours
  • Monday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Thursday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Saturday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP

man putting eye drops in eyes

Consult Our Dry Eye Experts

At The Eyewear Gallery, 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.

(703) 709-5400