Among the many major or minor diseases prevalent in the environment, a significant number of people have been reported to get struck by chronic dry eye syndrome. Dryness in the eyes can be caused due to numerous factors which, if aggravated, can cause serious issues.
Dry eyes are a chronic lack of moisture on the surface of the eyes. An adequate amount of tear production is essential to keep your eye health on point. Tears keep your eyes moist and wash away any dust, debris, and microorganisms that have the potential to cause infection. The normal and healthy film of tear consists of essential components like:
- Lipid, which is an oily component produced in the eyelids and prevents the tear film from evaporating too quickly,
- Aqueous, which is a watery component in the upper eyelids,
- Mucin is a mucus-like component that covers the white of the eye and helps to spread the tears across the surface of the eye.
The film of tears in the eyes serves a crucial purpose, and the lack of any of these components can hamper the production of tears in your eyes. When the symptoms of dry eyes aggravate, it can give you a feeling of scratchiness, inflammation, redness in the eyes, and much more.
What are the symptoms of dry eyes?
- Itchiness
- Burning sensation
- Sore eyes
- Blurred vision
- Redness
- Sensation of dryness
- Fatigued eyes
- Discomfort while wearing contact lenses
What are the causes of dry eyes?
A variety of reasons can cause dry eyes, such as:
Prolonged screen exposure: Working in front of the computer for an extended period of time or using smartphones, tablets, and other digital portable devices prevents us from blinking our eyes only. Keeping our eyes open for a long time results in greater tear evaporation and dries our eyes.
Using contact lenses: Although there is research going on about the ill effects of using contact lenses, it is determined that they can cause various problems, including dry eyes. Experiencing dry eyes is the sole reason why people switch to spec and stop using contact lenses.
Aging: Aging is a natural process that shreds the human body and can cause the weakening of the eyes and reduction in tear production due to dry eye syndrome.
Menopause: Menopause or post-closure of the menstrual cycle brings along a lot of issues, including dry eyes, weakness, deficiency of iron, and much more.
Air Travel: The airplane cabins are filled with dry air, leading to dryness in the eyes and increasing evaporation, causing various related issues faced by frequent flyers.
Frequent Smoking: Various researches have suggested that smoking is significantly linked to severe eye problems, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and uveitis. Moreover, other health conditions such as hypothyroidism, diabetes, arthritis can also contribute to dry eye syndrome.
What is the treatment and prevention of dry eyes?
Dry eye syndrome is quite a chronic and progressive condition, but it’s aggravation depends on its severity and cause. Dry eye syndrome can be cured in the initial stage, but it is only a manageable condition in the later stage. The treatment of dry eyes results in enhanced comfort, reduced symptoms of dry eye syndrome, and sharper vision. For successful treatment of dry eyes, you must follow the doctor’s prescription and the medicines recommended by them.
Get in touch with a reputed eye care physician to treat your dry eye symptoms safely!