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Solutions to a common eye problem
What Is It?
Dry eye syndrome is a condition where the body is not able
to make enough tears to protect the front surface of the
eye and provide good quality vision. Our tear film is crucial
to good vision as well as a healthy and comfortable front
surface of the eye. The tear film has three layers that
work together in a complex manner to supply all the nutrients
to the front surface of the eye as well as protect the eye
from infection.
Who Gets It?
A lot more people than you think. Dry eye syndrome is a
very common disease. Contact lens wearers, computer users,
post-op surgical patients, people living in arid environments
and people over the age of 55 are most commonly affected
by dry eye syndrome.
What Are the Symptoms?
Common symptoms of dry eye include blurred or fluctuating
vision, itchy, gritty or burning red eyes, frequent tearing
and eye infections. Other common symptoms include uncomfortable
contact lens wear, foreign body sensation and sore or tired
eyes when reading or using the computer. If you have any
of these symptoms, you may have some degree of dry eye syndrome.
What Causes it?
When the body is not able to make enough tears to protect
the surface of the eye, cells on the front part of the cornea
become sick or even die leading to a variety of symptoms
that affect both comfort and vision. Prolonged reading or
computer work can often cause evaporation of the tear film.
Dry eyes can also be caused by hormone changes, allergies,
auto-immune disease, eye surgery, contact lens wear, eye
infections and drugs such as oral antihistamines, anti-depressants
or hormone replacement therapy. Environmental factors such
as exposure to cigarette smoke or other chemicals can also
lead to problems.
Do You Have Dry Eye Syndrome?
- Trouble wearing contact lenses?
- Blurred or fluctuating vision?
- Itchy, gritty, or burning eyes?
- Tired eyes when reading?
Treatment Options
The first step is finding a doctor who will take time to
accurately determine the cause of the dry eye and discuss
your treatment options with you. There are many therapies
available to treat dry eyes and either increase or retain
your own natural tears. The therapy that is right for you
is dependent on the cause of the dry eye condition. Common
therapies include artificial tear preparations, lubricant
ointments and mechanisms for partial or total blockage of
the drainage of the tear film called punctual occlusion.
Other, more advanced therapies include nutritional supplements
as well as both oral and topical medications. Many conditions
do not have treatments that provide immediate results. It
is normal to take a few months to significantly improve
many of the conditions. Dry eyes may need to be treated
on a daily basis. Therapeutic goals are to control or eliminate
the symptoms, maintain and preserve visual acuity and prevent
complications secondary to inflammation and drying out of
the ocular surface. If you suffer from dry eyes ask the
front desk or your doctor for a consultation to make your
vision more clear and your eyes more comfortable.
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