Significance

• Contact lenses are one common cause of dry eyes.contact lens image by vladislav susoy from Fotolia.com
  
  Your eyes naturally produce tears and blink in order to lubricate and protect your eyes. When your eyes do not produce enough tears, you have an uncomfortable condition known as dry eyes. Common causes for dry eyes include laser surgery, contact lenses, allergies or medication side effects.
  
  

Over the Counter

• Washing your eyelids with a warm washcloth and a mild soap is an effective treatment for dry eyes.different colored washcloths face cloths on yellow background image by Steve Johnson from Fotolia.com
  
  Much of the time, your dry eyes can be helped by common over-the-counter solutions. There are different types of artificial tears available which can alleviate and help prevent dry eyes. Washing your eyelids with a warm washcloth and a mild soap, even when you don't have symptoms, can also be effective, according to the Mayo Clinic.
  
  

Prescription

• If your dry eyes are severe enough, they may warrant medical intervention. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to reduce eyelid inflammation, prescription eye drops to control cornea inflammation or prescription eye inserts that work like artificial tears.
  
  

Referrals

• Less commonly, you may be referred to an oculoplastic surgeon, who specializes in plastic surgery of the eyelids, to correct a problem with blinking or a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles and bones, if symptoms suggest an autoimmune condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Mayo Clinic.