Dry eye, as the name suggests, is an uncomfortable state of eyes, in which the eyes are restricted to shed tears. There is a special layer possessed by human eyes, known as tear film, which is responsible for generating tears. In the dry eye syndrome, this film is disabled to work appropriately to secrete the desired amount of tears. The symptoms of dry eye include itching and burning sensation, pain in eyes, improper vision, tear secretion while watching TV, stringing eye muscles and discomfort with contact lenses.
What Leads To Dry Eye
Dry eye is caused due to a number of factors related to age, place of living, job and activities carried out by the patient and many more. Some of the most significant causes of dry eye include:
Ï Old age, in which less oil is produced by body
Ï Polluted environment having excess of smoke particles
Ï Use of contact lenses
Ï A number of diseases like Sjogren’s Syndrome and arthritis
Ï Stressful working, especially on computer
Ï Dry heat and air conditioners that soak away the tears from eye surface
Dry Eye Treatment – The Options Available
In case, you experience dry eye syndrome, you must consult an optometrist to know about various dry eye treatment options available. First of all, it is necessary to diagnose the level of dry eye syndrome before starting the dry eye treatment. For this purpose, you may follow any one of the following tests:
1. Shimmer Test – In this test, bits of paper are put on the lower eyelid to examine the quantity of tears available in your eyes.
2. Tear Break Up Test – In this test, a solution is pored in the eye to understand the process of tear secretion.
The most common dry eye treatment options include:
Ï Drinking a lot of water
Ï Avoid sitting directly in front of fan and air conditioner
Ï Avoid places having extreme weather conditions
Ï Blinking the eyes more frequently
Ï Wear wrap-around glasses to avoid heat and air
Ï Avoid smoking
Ï Scrub the eyelids with warm water and mild shampoo
The products that might provide assistance in dry eye treatment include:
Ï Punctal Plugs – These are made up of collagen or silicon and block the drainage system of eyes to conserve tears in the eyes.
Ï Vitamin A medications – As we know, Vitamin A is necessary for eyes, thus most optometrists recommend Vitamin A medications like BioTears for dry eye treatment.
Ï Artificial Tears Generators – There are a number of products available in market that help the eyes to produce artificial drops. For instance, Autologous Platelet-rich Plasma eye drops are found to highly effective in this direction.
Ï Restasis – This is the ophthalmic eye drop that helps in reducing the inflammation around the eye channels carrying mucin and lipids.
Ï Other products include flax seed oil, lubricating gels and antibiotics that are recommended by the optometrist.
Along with these prescribed medications, one must focus on healthy eating by consuming foods rich in Vitamins and Minerals. You can consult your optometrist to get advised on the food items to be consumed as a part of dry eye treatment.
