Vision Therapy in Myrtle Beach

Spotting the Signs of Dry Eye

(843) 903-6262

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 Carolina Forest Family Eyecare 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
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402 Reviews
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- Mar. 16, 2026
Although the young lady that started with me was very quiet , she was very thorough and the doctor h... erself was very informative and taught me a few things I did not know. A lot of the reviews are talking about the extra charges.I was informed of one that I knew would be $39 dollars extra , but the young lady only mentioned that there was a test that was $20. She did not mention that it was an additional charge to the other test that was $39. That I do have a problem with, as with buying glasses. I never buy glasses from an eye doctor I will go to a discount Place first. So my first thing is to always ask for a copy of my own prescription. And that's anywhere I go. Never had an issue with scheduling or with the lady at the front desk. Not sure if it's the same one. Since those reports were from a few years back, I like the scheduling online cause then I can choose what I want. And it's easy to see if you need to go quickly, those that have canceled, and you want to go right. Then if there's an opening rather than waiting for someone else to look.
- Mar. 07, 2026
Everyone here is extremely friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, professional, and make you feel welcome... . They explained everything in detail in language I could understand. From my eye exam, treatment required, and selection of glasses, they were with me every step of the way. I would recommend them for all your eye care needs.
- Mar. 06, 2026
This is the type of place you can be comfortable with over many years. They’ll put your mind at ea... se.
- Feb. 21, 2026
The Doctors are all great, explain everything they are doing. Highly recommend if you really want a... n Eye Group that really cares about you and your eye health.
- Feb. 21, 2026
Very nice and knowledgeable. Very thorough examination.
- Feb. 20, 2026
The staff is always kind and helpful! The doctor was very thorough and the assistant that did all of... my testing was phenomenal! She was kind and patient with me and my children. She made them feel like they were apart of the process and explained everything she was doing in a way that they could understand. She really was the star of the visit and the doctor was so bubbly and engaging but more importantly she was caring and listened to my concerns and provided several different solutions! I highly recommend this team! (I apologize for not knowing the proper term for the assistant or her name but everyone was awesome!) The office staff was also very amazing and made us feel welcome from the time we walked in the door.
- Feb. 18, 2026
I usually go to Walmart for my eye exams but I was wanting to have a more detailed exam. This place ... was very high tech. Many scans and observations and the doctor actually took time and examined and cared about my eyes and vision. Educated me and truly cared about my eyes.
- Feb. 14, 2026
First time patient. Appreciate the ability to schedule my appointment online. The technician did a... great job on all of the preliminary testing. I have keratoconus and am hard to refract. The doctor took her time and I am happy with the contacts and glasses prescription I received. Would definitely recommend!
- Feb. 06, 2026
Great place checked eyes completely
- Jan. 29, 2026
We have recently moved to the area and hated the fact that we had to start all over again with healt... h care providers. This was an excellent choice.
- Jan. 25, 2026
The staff is great. I would highly recommend this eyecare place.
- Jan. 24, 2026
Their Optician quickly helped me narrow down my selections to choose a pair of glasses that I was ve... ry happy to buy with a lens option that I didn’t know I could get.
- Jan. 24, 2026
Always a great experience.
- Jan. 22, 2026
What a pleasant experience. The staff was so nice and welcoming.
- Jan. 19, 2026
Dr A and tho entire team were patient and efficient
- Jan. 15, 2026
If you want the latest technology to detect ocular disorders, this is the place ! Make an appointmen... t today!
- Jan. 15, 2026
I came to Carolina Forest Family Eyecare after a really negative experience at LensCrafters and hone... stly didn’t have very high expectations—but I was pleasantly surprised from start to finish. The facility itself is beautiful and feels very high-end. The waiting area is comfortable, the bathrooms are accessible, and I didn’t have to wait long at all for my appointment. Every member of the support staff was friendly and welcoming. Dr. Alavi is an absolute hoot—animated, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable. She took the time to answer all of my questions without ever making me feel rushed. She also explained why I had such a difficult time getting contact lenses elsewhere: after having LASIK years ago, I’m not a great candidate for contacts—something no one had ever bothered to clearly communicate to me before. They have a fantastic selection of frames, ranging from under $200 to well over $700 (yes, the Tom Fords were tempting!). Picking up my glasses and getting them fitted was quick and easy. When I realized I still wasn’t reading as well as I should, I went back and they re-measured where the progressives started and ordered new lenses. I was able to keep my glasses while waiting for the new lenses, and they simply popped the replacements in when they arrived. I even asked to keep the original lenses as a backup—and they let me. To top it all off, when I returned to pick up the new lenses during the week of Christmas, Dr. Alavi was there in a full-on elf suit. She is my people. Highly recommend Carolina Forest Family Eyecare—professional, thorough, kind, and genuinely fun to work with.
- Jan. 15, 2026
Good experience.
- Jan. 15, 2026
I have finally found my forever eyecare professionals at this location! This is the third provider I... 've seen since I moved to this area and as someone who has been seeing eye doctors for 69+ years I can say without a doubt that this place is top-notch. The latest equipment for important testing, friendly staff, great atmosphere, good frame selectioon and Dr A is outstanding. She is very thorough and I learned a lot from her.
- Jan. 07, 2026
Friendly, professional and compassionate staff. They can provide easy to understand explanations fo... r subject matter that can be complex at times.

View All 402 Reviews

Dry Eyes in Myrtle Beach

Our optometry practice in Myrtle Beach

Photograph of Thomas Weshefsky
Hours
  • Monday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Tuesday 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Wednesday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Friday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • VSP
  • Medicare
  • United Healthcare
  • Aetna
  • Anthem
  • EyeMed
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Blue Cross

man putting eye drops in eyes

Consult Our Dry Eye Experts

At Carolina Forest Family Eyecare, our experienced eye care providers 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.

(843) 903-6262