TACKLING DRY EYE SYNDROME

TACKLING DRY EYE SYNDROME

·         It is an aqueous (watery) deficiency caused by either poor production of watery tears or excessive evaporation of the watery tear layer.

·         Tear film, a liquid layer, comprises a lipid layer, an aqueous layer, and a mucin layer.

·         It covers your eye, cleans, lubricates and flushes out foreign objects by working like a wiper that cleans the wind-shield of your eyes every time you blink.

·         This refreshes the tear film and distributes it equally over the cornea, so that the rays of light can fall properly on it and in turn on the retina, for forming a crystal clear picture.

·         Poor production of tears by the tear glands is usually due to age, hormonal changes, or various diseases such as Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, Bell’s palsy or lupus.

·         Excessive evaporation of the watery tear layer is usually due to an insufficient overlying lipid layer.

·         Sometimes, a bacterial infection, blepharitis, is present along the eyelids or the eyelashes which may break down the oil, leading to evaporative loss of tears and dry eyes.

SYMPTOMS

·         Feeling your vision blurring while typing on your laptop

·         Feeling your eyes itch, burn

·         Finding your eyes reddening

·         Feeling like you’ve got something in your eye

·         Feeling light sensitivity

REASONS

·         A person blinks less often while reading, watching TV, or working on the computer and laptop.

·         While we normally blink 3-4 times a minute, if blinking is decreased or if the eyelids are not closed fully between blinks, the eyes may dry out because of tear evaporation.

·         Wearing contact lenses for long periods restrains your tear film from functioning optimally, preventing your eyes from making a clear picture.

·         Peering at a book or the small screen of your mobile, forgetting to blink, also overworks your delicate tear film.

·         Smoking or being in the presence of a smoker in a closed room, sitting close to lit incense sticks or mosquito repellents, and air-conditioned vents directed towards your eyes, also dry up the tear films, making you susceptible to dry eyes.

·         In elderly people, tear producing glands produce less than the required amount of tears.

TREATMENT

·         Although no cure exists for dry eye syndrome, many remedies are available.

·         Lubricating eye drops, commonly referred to as artificial tears, relieve dry eyes.

·         Punctum plugs, which are thin, invisible cylindrical devices, can be used to block the tear passage so that eye drops stay in the eye for a longer time.

·         Some might require surgery to correct this condition.

PREVENTION

·         Ideally, don’t wear contact lenses for more than 6-8 hours, and go without them on weekends.

·         If you can, remove them at lunch time and let your eyes breathe.

·         Never wear lenses when you have an eye infection as they will introduce more bacteria.

·         Make a conscious effort to blink so that the tear film can redistribute itself over your eye.

·         Look away from the screen from time to time or even better, get up and walk about.

·         Look out of the window at the sky or at a green patch.

·         Rub your palms together and place them over your eyes, in order to relax the eye muscles.

·         Direct the AC vents away from your eye.

·         When burning incense sticks or mosquito repellents, close the room or redirect the vapours.

·         Smoke in an open area or face away from smokers in closed rooms.

·         Don’t use steroid eye drops; ask your doctor to prescribe a lubricating eye drop.

·         Washing your eyes frequently with tap water is not healthy due to its contaminants.

·         If you must, wash your eyes with filtered water.

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