One of the most prevalent disorders treated by eye care experts is Dry Eye Disease (DED), also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca. DED is a condition in which your tears are unable to adequately lubricate your eyes. According to studies, 15% of the population has DED, and 25% of patients who attended an eye clinic experienced dry eye problems.
Causes
The tear film is composed of three layers: the lipid (oil) layer on the outside, the aqueous (water) layer on the inside, and the mucus layer. A lack of any of these layers might result in dry eyes.
Dry eye is caused by two factors: reduced tear production and increased tear evaporation.
The following are some of the most common causes of reduced tear production:
- The aging process
- Antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants, and hormone replacement therapy are examples of drugs.
- Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and allergies are examples of medical illnesses.
- Cornea nerve degeneration caused by long-term contact lens use, nerve injury, or laser eye surgery
Meanwhile, frequent reasons of excessive tear evaporation include
- Environment that is dry
- Dysfunction of the meibomian gland
- Ectropion vs. Entropion (eye condition where eyelid unable to close the way they should)
- Blepharitis
- Less blinking of the eyes while reading, driving, using digital devices, or suffering from medical illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease.
Symptoms
You may encounter a variety of symptoms if you have DED, including
- a sense of dryness
- Irritation or burning feeling in the eyes
- Redness of the eyes
- Foreign body sense and grit
- Vision impairment
- Tearing
- Light sensitive
When Should You See A Doctor?
Consult an ophthalmologist if you have persistent dry eye symptoms such as redness, irritation, or discomfort in your eyes.
Treatment
Based on the underlying problem, your ophthalmologist can offer advice and treatment solutions. Treatment consists of
- Tears produced artificially
- Medications on prescription
- Expression of the meibomian gland
- BlephEx and lid hygiene (eyelid cleaning and microexfoliation)
- IPL (intense pulsed light) treatment
- Punctum insertion (a small device inserted into the opening of the tear duct to prevent tears from draining away from the eye)
Other methods of treating dry eyes include
- Consumption of omega-3 supplements
- Avoid blowing air straight into your eyes.
- Compression of warm air
- Using a Humidifier
- Instead of contact lenses, use glasses.
- During extensive jobs, take frequent breaks to rest your eyes.
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