The Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment of Dry Eyes
Dry eye syndrome is a common condition that
occurs when the tear ducts located at the top of the eyelids don’t
secrete enough tears and fatty substances to provide the eye with
sufficient moisture. The phenomenon is so common that it affects one in
three people over the age of 65 and may be accompanied by distressing
and painful symptoms. This problem, which may result from environmental
conditions or medical condition, can be treated in both cases, and
although the syndrome is not defined as a serious medical condition, it
may cause eye scarring in extreme cases. The information below will help
you understand if you’re suffering from the development of dry eye
syndrome and how you can prevent and treat the problem.
What is dry eye syndrome?
Dry eye syndrome is a condition that can be caused by a variety of
medical problems that cause dryness and irritation in the eyes. This may
be painful, accompanied by a host of disturbing symptoms such as the
false sensation of entry of a foreign object, itching, redness,
accumulation of mucus in the eye or around the eyelid, sensitivity to
light, chronic eye fatigue, blurry vision, and inflammation. The reasons
for the development of this phenomenon may be due to damage to the
makeup of the tears that protect our eyes, as a result of reducing the
number of tears produced in the glands or from tears leaving the surface
of the eye too quickly. Damage to tear quality and the amount produced
are caused by various causes, including aging, the use of certain
medications, various medical conditions, environmental conditions, use
of contact lenses and the development of allergies.
Although we’re used to thinking of tears as
something that is secreted from our eyes mainly when we are sad or
excited, tears actually flood our eyes every time we blink. Tears are a
fluid consisting mainly of water and salt, whose main function is to
moisturize the eyes and prevent dehydration. Other functions include
removing dirt, bacteria, pollutants and foreign bodies that penetrate
the eye, creating a smooth corneal surface, and more. Tears are made up
of three parts: an outer fatty layer that prevents rapid evaporation of
the liquid, water, and an inner mucus layer that helps spread tears all
over the eye. When there is a problem with the composition or production
process of each of these parts, dry eye syndrome is caused.
What are the main environmental causes of
dry eye syndrome?
Air pollution and cigarette smoke
One of the common effects on eye health is the environment in which we
spend most of our time and air pollution. One of the important things to
avoid when we detect signs of dry eye syndrome is cigarette smoke - and
it’s important to know that smoke damage exists both for active smokers
and for passive smokers. Cigarette smoke not only stimulates the
syndrome for those who already have it, but it also increases the risk
of developing the syndrome.
Fog, winds, fans, air conditioners, and air
In the days of fog and wind, it is recommended that people who suffer
from dry eye syndrome refrain from leaving the house because these
weather conditions worsen the symptoms of dry eyes. In general, dryness
of the eyes requires avoiding wind or dryness and this includes avoiding
exposure to fans, hair dryers, and air conditioners as much as
possible. In addition to that, you should make sure to use eye drops
before flights, as the compressed air inside the cabin may worsen the
sense of dryness and the irritation.
how to treat dry eyes.
Prolonged sitting in front of screens
Prolonged viewing of screens such as the TV, computer or smartphone
screen, and even prolonged reading from a book, can worsen symptoms of
dry eyes. This is because our blink frequency decreases when we look at
and work in front of screens, and with it the level of tear regeneration
and its diffusion on the corneal area decreases. Add to this the fact
that we usually work in air-conditioned spaces with low humidity, which
causes the evaporation of the moisture layer that protects our eyes. It
is important that we take a break from using screens every few hours,
step out into the clean air, and get back some of the moisture that our
eyes so desperately need.
Outdoor sports and swimming in a pool
For those who engage in strenuous activities on the street or in nature,
such as riding a motorcycle or bicycle and swimming in a chlorinated
pool, it is important to keep your eyes protected from dust, wind and
sand damage and to wear goggles or custom glasses to protect your eyes
from environmental damage.
What are the ways to treat dry eye
syndrome?
Hot compresses
In order to improve the quality of the layer of fat that makes up our
tears, it is recommended to place hot compresses on the eyes for a few
minutes, and then wash your (closed) eyes with baby shampoo. This will
help the fat in the tear glands relax and soften improving the quality
of our tears. Be sure to wash all traces of shampoo from your eye to
avoid irritation.
Using a humidifier
An important recommendation that people who suffer from dry eye syndrome
should adopt is using a humidifier in the home which infuses the air
with the missing moisture and humidity. This is especially true during
the winter season when the heating systems combined with low humidity
make our eyes dry faster. If you don’t have a humidifier, it is
recommended to place a bowl of water near your heating device to create
more moisture in the air.
Eye drops and ointments to relieve dry eyes
There are quite a few over-the-counter medications on the market that
are designed to help dry and irritated eyes and bring about significant,
although temporary, relief for the disturbing sensation. These products
include eye drops, artificial tears, and various ointments. It is
important to note that some of these products contain preservatives that
our eyes may respond negatively to. If you experience such a reaction
and have to use eye drops more than 4 times a day, consider switching to
one without preservatives, usually stored in disposable bottles. Eye
ointments are usually designed to provide coverage for the whole eyeball
and allow for long-term relief. However, the problem is that they may
damage visual acuity during use, so it’s best to use them at night,
before bed, and in combination with eye drops during the day.
Dietary changes
According to a dry eye syndrome study, omega-3 fatty acids have been
shown to reduce the symptoms of the disorder, as these acids reduce
inflammation in the eye and allow for more and higher quality tears. To
consume omega-3 fatty acids, you can take supplements, or combine foods
rich in them such as walnuts, flax seed oil, palm oil, soybean oil, chia
seeds, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, and krill.
When should you see a doctor to treat dry
eyes?
If your eye care products aren’t giving you relief within a few days, it
is highly recommended that you see your eye doctor. Sometimes this
indicates a more serious medical problem which is causing the feeling of
dryness, and should, therefore, be treated as soon as possible. If you
have symptoms such as redness and swelling in the eye, unusual pain, eye
injury, fluid coming out of the eye, joint pain accompanied by
swelling, hardening of the organs and dry mouth - you should go for an
in-depth examination of these symptoms.