What Is Dry Eye? CAUSES ,SYMPTOM AND TREATMENT

        What Is Dry Eye?

If your eyes don’t produce enough tears or if your tears evaporate too quickly, you may have dry eye syndrome. With the right treatment, you can manage dry eye.

Tears help keep your eyes clean and decrease the risk of developing an eye infection. Without adequate tears, your eyes may experience:

Dry eyes feel uncomfortable. If you have dry eyes, your eyes may sting or burn. You may experience dry eyes in certain situations, such as on an airplane, in an air-conditioned room, while riding a bike or after looking at a computer screen for a few hours.

What Are Common Causes of Dry Eyes?

There are many reasons why you might experience dry eyes. A few common underlying causes are described in the sections below.

Inadequate Production of Tears

In most people, dry eyes are caused by low production of tears. A low production of tears is also called keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or dry eye syndrome.

Some reasons why you might not produce enough tears include:

• old age, which is especially relevant for women.

• After menopause, your risk of dry eye syndrome increases significantly.

• deficiency of vitamin A, which is rare in the

• United States

• other medical conditions, such as diabetes,

• lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, infections, or a

• thyroid disorder

• damage to your tear glands from injury,

• inflammation, chemical burns, heat, or radiation

• laser eye surgery, such as LASIK. Dry eyes are usually

• a temporary side effect

• 
  

Low-Quality Tears

Tears are made of a mixture of water, oils, and mucus. For some people, dry eyes are caused by an imbalance in the components of this mixture. For example, dry eyes can occur if the glands that produce oil for your eyes, known as meibomian glands, are clogged. The oily part of tears slows down evaporation.

This problem can be referred to as having “low-quality tears.”

Medications

Certain drugs can cause dry eyes, including:

• high blood pressure medication

• decongestants

• antihistamines

• antidepressants

• birth control pills

• hormone replacement therapies

• certain acne treatments

Environmental Factors

Sometimes, elements of your environment or everyday life can lead to dry eyes, including:

• wind

• dry air

• exposure to smoke

• working at a computer

• driving

• reading

• riding a bicycle

• flying in an airplane

Other Factors

Other factors that may contribute to dry eyes include:

• difficulty blinking

• inflammation of your eyelids, known as blepharitis

• inward or outward turning of your eyelids

• long-term use of contact lenses

• 
  

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms, which usually affect both eyes, may include:

• A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes

• Stringy mucus in or around your eyes

• Sensitivity to light

• Eye redness

• A sensation of having something in your eyes

• Difficulty wearing contact lenses

• Difficulty with nighttime driving

• Watery eyes, which is the body's response to the irritation of dry eyes

• Blurred vision or eye fatigue

Risk factors

Certain risk factors may make you more prone to dry eye.

Dry eye syndrome is more common in people ages and older, with more females than males experiencing dry eye.

People who are pregnant, on hormone replacement therapy, or going through menopause also have a higher risk. The following underlying conditions can also increase your risk:

1. chronic allergies

2. exposure to the wind or dry air, such as constant exposure to a heater during the winter

3. allergies

4. LASIK eye surgery

5. some medications, including antihistamines, nasal decongestants, birth control pills, and antidepressants

6. long-term contact lens wear

7. not blinking enough

8. thyroid disease or other conditions that push the eyes forward

9. lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other immune system disorders

10. exposure keratitis, which occurs from sleeping with your eyes partially open or from medical conditions like facial nerve palsy or having eyelids that are turned out, causing exposure of your cornea

11. vitamin A deficiency, which is unlikely if you get sufficient nutrition

Some believe that too much exposure to the blue light emitted from computer screens can contribute to dry eye syndrome.

“Humans evolved outside in an enormous source of blue light [from the sun],” Kugler says. “So to suggest that computer screens are causing more blue light issues than sunlight doesn’t make much intuitive sense.”

However, staring at computer screens for many hours at a time suppresses our blink reflex, which leads to more dry eyes, he says.

It’s a good idea to take breaks when using a computer. Some people feel more comfortable wearing blue-light-filtering glasses when using computers, and that won’t cause any harm, he says.

Treatments for dry eye

Treatment for dry eye syndrome can depend on the severity and can include:

Artificial tears

Eye drops that increase your eye moisture are among the most common treatments for dry eye syndrome. Artificial tears also work well for some people.

Lacrimal plugs

An eye doctor might use plugs to block the drainage holes in the corners of your eyes. This is a relatively painless, reversible procedure that slows tear loss.

If your condition is severe, an eye doctor may recommend the plugs as a permanent solution.

Medications

The most commonly prescribed medication for dry eye syndrome is an anti-inflammatory called cyclosporine (Restasis). The drug increases the tear production in your eyes and lowers the risk of damage to your cornea. Xiidra is also a common prescription dry eye treatment.

If your case of dry eye is severe, you may need to use corticosteroid eye drops for a short time while the medication takes effect.

Though rarely prescribed, alternative medications can include cholinergics, such as pilocarpine. These medications help stimulate tear production.

If another medication is causing your eyes to become dry, a doctor may switch your prescription to find one that doesn’t dry out your eyes.

Surgery

If you have severe dry eye syndrome and it doesn’t go away with other treatments, a doctor may recommend surgery.

A procedure can permanently plug the drainage holes at the inner corners of your eyes to allow your eyes to maintain an adequate amount of tears.

Home care

If you tend to have dry eyes, you can use a humidifier to increase moisture in your room. Limiting your contact lens wear and the time you spend in front of the computer or television may also help.

Procedures

Kugler notes that there are also treatments, such as LipiFlow, which helps tears flow more easily, and BlephEx, which an eye care professional performs to clean the eyelid.

Home remedies for dry eye

Some believe omega-3 fatty acid supplements are helpful for people with dry eye. But the evidenceTrusted Source for this is inconsistent. A 2018 studyTrusted Source funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) concluded that omega-3 supplements were no better than placebo in treating moderate to severe dry eye.

If environmental factors cause your dry eyes, certain lifestyle changes may help. This can include avoiding exposure to cigarette smoke and protecting your eyes by wearing eyewear during outdoor activities, especially when it’s windy.

Adding a humidifier to your home can put moisture in the air, which may help to reduce dry eyes.