Many ocular conditions masquerade as dry eye. Dr. Richard Davidson takes an in-depth look into several of these conditions:

• Conjunctivochalasis
• Unilateral or bilateral lower-eyelid laxity
• Exposure keratopathy
• Blepharitis
• Allergic conjunctivitis
• Infectious conjunctivitis (bacterial or viral)
• Scleritis and iritis
• Inflamed pterygium/pingueculae
• Intermittent angle closure
• Epithelial basement membrane dystrophy

To avoid missed diagnoses, Dr. Davidson recommends physicians take a thorough history, inspect the eyelids and ocular adnexae, and not to overlook the obvious.