Q: Why does my left eye always feel more tired, heavier and drier than my right eye?

I also notice that the eye bag of the affected eye does not appear as neatly along the main crease as the other eye when I smile. It looks puffier.

I have tried different eye lubricants but they do not ease the discomfort in my left eye.

If I leave it as it is, will the problem go away? If not, what can I do to make my eye feel better? My vision is 6/6 after a problem-free Lasik operation.

A: There are two possibilities. First, dryness can cause your eyes to feel tired and heavy. This is a fairly common occurrence among older women and also after Lasik surgery. Prolonged reading or computer work as well as dry/windy conditions tend to worsen the problem. Dry eyes can be managed with ocular lubricants and these come in varying strengths.

If the condition does not improve, eye gels can be prescribed or 'plugs" can be inserted in the tear drainage openings to reduce the outflow of tears. The plugs act very much like a stopper in a sink. Placing them into the tear duct prevents the tears from being lost. As the tear reservoir builds, the self-lubrication process begins. This is an office procedure and it can be done on the day of consultation itself.

Dry eyes can affect one eye more than the other. The result is that one eye may feel more uncomfortable.

Secondly, any excess skin or fat in the eyelid or a droopy eyelid (ptosis) can cause it to feel heavy and an unbalanced lid crease becomes evident. Ptosis can occur in older people or after many years of contact lens use. Most times, surgery is necessary to address the problem.

Dr Fong Kee Siew

Dr Fong Kee Siew is an opthalmologist at Gleneagles Hospital.