The Pathogenesis of Idiopathic Dry Eyes

Dry eyes are a very common complaint. In some patients, we can identify the reason for the dryness; however, in others the dryness has no clear cause. Dryness can lead to eye irritation, redness, and sometimes changes in vision. Fibromyalgia is a condition of chronic pain that is poorly understood but seems to have a component of altered sensory processing. People with fibromyalgia tend to complain of dry and irritated eyes at a higher rate than the general population. We plan to evaluate patients with dry eye symptoms for abnormalities in sensory processing and in their autonomic nervous system. We hope to learn about possible relationships between dry eye symptoms and fibromyalgia in order to better understand and treat these conditions.