While dry eye affects millions of people, it is frequently underdiagnosed. Many dry eye sufferers do not recognize their symptoms are due to dry eye, but early treatment can improve quality of life and decrease progression of severity over time. Symptoms of dry eye will vary from person to person, but may including burning, itching, excessive tearing, and blurred vision
What is dry eye?
Dry eye is a condition that results due to a change in the quantity or quality of the tear film , Which is the moisture layer covering the surface of your eye . The tear film provides nutrition and protection to the ocular surface . Any disturbance in the tear film leads to symptoms of dry eye.
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What are the symptoms of Dry Eye?
- Frequent watery eyes
- Blurred vision that tends to fluctuate
- Burning sensation
- A feeling of something in your eye
- Tired eyes
- Contact lens intolerance
- Increased light sensitivity
- Eye redness.
- Grittiness in the eye
- Feeling that a foreign particle or sand is stuck in the eye
- Burning
- Heavy ness
- Tiredness and headache
- Besides the discomfort, dry eye can lead to damage to the surface of the eye, even vision loss, if left untreated
What are the causes of dry eye?
Dry eye can be part of the normal aging process. It is more common after menopause, and affects more women than men. It also increases during pregnancy and in women taking hormone replacement therapy.
Environmental factors such as exposure to pollution and dust , hot and dry climate , air conditioning, continuous screen exposure etc are very common reasons leading to dry eye . Patients of Diabetes and certain autoimmune conditions like Rheumatoid arthritis also predisposed . Besides consumption of certain medications including over the counter cold medication can cause dry eye symptoms.
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How to treat dry eye ?
There are a number of over-the-counter drops, prescription medications, and home and in-office treatments for dry eye. Typically, lubricant drops known as artificial tears are the first line of treatment. Artificial tears work best when used consistently to prevent dry eye symptoms. Be careful not to use a drop that contains a redness reliever, as these will not treat your dry eye. If you need to use your lubricant drops more than four times per day, a preservative-free drop is recommended. Longer-lasting gels and ointments are also helpful, especially when used at bedtime. If you are not getting adequate symptom relief using lubricants four times per day, you may want to discuss whether other treatment options are best for you with your eye care provider.
Treatment of the underlying cause is very important. They may be in the form of prescription antibiotics, anti inflammatory medication and even tablets as advised by your eye doctor. Special Contact lenses, intense pulse therapy and surgical options are also available to treat dry eye disease
Omega-3 fatty acids are shown to assist and combat Dry Eye symptoms. Not only are these fatty acids great for your heart, they also help reduce inflammation, meaning eye inflammation as a results of Dry Eye. Omega-3’s will be found in flaxseed, vegetable oil, fatty fish (e.g. salmon) and walnuts.
Every patient experiences dry eye differently. While many patients will never be symptom free, and no cure exists for dry eye, with appropriate treatment quality of life can be greatly improved
Exercise Those Eyes
So, how can we exercise our eyes? Take some minutes every day to blink and squeeze your eyelids together for some seconds and then release it. Try this three to 5 times continuously and your eye exercise routine is over without even breaking a sweat. Blinking exercises can condition those glands in your eyes to function properly.
Suffering from a DRY EYE
Advanced Dry Eye Treatment in Mumbai @ REH
