A common symptom of aging, Big Pharma sees opportunity:

Dry eye, a common malady of aging, is getting more attention from the medical community and drug makers, who see a growing and largely untapped market for new treatments.

For some people, dry eye is more than a small irritation — it can be a debilitating condition that causes painful scratchiness, light sensitivity and stinging in the eyes. But dry-eye patients say they often get perfunctory care from ophthalmologists and optometrists, who simply advise them to blink more and use over-the-counter lubricating drops. Such products may offer temporary relief, but they can be expensive, and many patients complain that they aren’t very effective . . .

. . . Now, specialty pharmaceutical companies are targeting this niche market. Five years ago, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first prescription drug for dry eye — Restasis, marketed by Allergan Inc. of Irvine, Calif. Consumer advocates have said that aggressive marketing surrounding Restasis has led patients to clamor for a drug that won’t necessarily help them. Doctors say the treatment doesn’t work for everyone and more options are needed.