What is Dry Eye?
Dry eye disease is a common condition that affects a large majority of the population and occurs when your tears aren't able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes. Tears can be inadequate and unstable for many reasons. There are multiple forms of dry eye which affect the eyes in different ways.
- Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye: The eyes do not produce enough of the aqueous layer or watery layer of the tear film.
- Evaporative Dry Eye is when portions of the tear film evaporate quickly and do not provide an adequate tear film.
- Inflammatory Dry Eye occurs when inflammation around the lids and lashes leads to a reduction of the oily layer of the tear film.
- In some cases some patients will have a combination of more than one type of dry eye.
What Causes Dry Eyes?
- Allergies
- Autoimmune conditions such as Hyper or Hypothyroidism, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease and much more.
- Daily Environment (dusty, windy, hot/dry) such as working in a construction site, kitchen, or hospital etc.
- Decreased hormones associated with aging
- Pregnancy and associated hormonal changes
- Eyelid inflammation (blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction)
- Medication/supplement use including, such as OTC cold medicines, anti-histamines, beta-blockers, pain relievers, sleeping pills, diuretics, hormonal replacement, and oral contraceptives
- Sjogren's syndrome (dry mucous membranes throughout body)
- Eye surgery, post refractive surgery (LASIK or PRK)
- Contact lens use and contact lens overwear.
- Neurologic conditions including: stroke, Bell's palsy, Parkinson's, trigeminal nerve dysfunction
- Exposure keratitis, eyelids do not close completely during sleep (lagophthalmos)
- Diabetes
- Infectious Keratitis, including Herpes Simplex and Herpes Zoster Keratitis
- Neurotrophic Keratitis
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Blepharitis
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a chronic and progressive condition that affects the function and structure of the meibomian glands in the eyelids. These glands are responsible for producing the oily layer of the tear film, which helps to lubricate and protect the eyes.
In MGD, the meibomian glands become blocked, inflamed, or damaged, resulting in a reduced production or alteration in the quality of the meibum (the oily secretion produced by the meibomian glands). This can lead to evaporative dry eye, which is a type of dry eye syndrome that occurs when tears evaporate too quickly due to a lack of oil in the tear film.
The common symptoms of MGD include red, itchy, and dry eyes, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, and a feeling of grittiness or foreign body sensation in the eyes. The condition is typically diagnosed by an eye doctor through an examination of the eyelids and the use of specialized tests such as meibography or tear film osmolarity measurement.
Treatment for MGD may involve a combination of interventions such as warm compresses, lid hygiene, omega-3 supplements, and medications like antibiotics, immunomodulators or anti-inflammatory drugs. In severe cases, procedures such as meibomian gland expression or thermal pulsation therapy may be necessary to improve the function of the meibomian glands and relieve symptoms.
Treatments For Dry Eyes
Although a complete cure for dry eye is currently unavailable, there are several methods to alleviate its symptoms. The primary objective is to enhance tear production and reduce eye inflammation. Presently, numerous types of medicated eye drops exist to enhance tear production. Additionally, a nasal spray has been developed to stimulate increased tear production. Furthermore, various in-office procedures are available to stimulate tear gland activity around the eyelids and improve tear quality. Over the past few years, there has been significant progress in the range of treatments provided by eye doctors to alleviate dry eye symptoms. To explore how Everyone Eyecare can assist you, schedule a Dry Eye Evaluation today.
Dry eye can be a frustrating problem, and can also affect how well you see on a daily basis. Dry eyes can affect people of all ages. Most commonly it affects over 40% of patients over the age of 40. Within that population most of those patients are women. If you're in the New Braunfels and San Antonio area and dealing with discomfort from dry eye, Everyone Eyecare is here to help you get the treatments you need. Finding the specific cause for your eye issues is the first step, so our optometrists Dr. Dhimiter Llambiri and Dr. Monica Tadros can suggest treatments that will give you the most relief. You don't have to just live with dry eye, when you can get the help you need from us.
Dry Eyes Need More Lubrication
Evaporative dry eye and Aqueous deficient dry eye are two types of dry eye. Either your tears dry up too quickly or the aqueous layer or water layer of your tears is lacking in production. Dry occurs due to many different reasons. There are environmental components such as working in a dry or dusty environment, allergies, or spending many hours on a computer that can cause dry eyes. In some cases specific medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, hyper or hypothyroidism and many autoimmune conditions can cause dry eyes. With that, specific medications have side effects which cause dry eyes. In some cases patients can also have dry eyes after surgeries such as LASIK or cataract surgery. Lastly, there can also be anatomical components that cause dry eyes. Oddly enough some patients do not fully close their eyes when they sleep or have what's known as an incomplete blink causing the tears to evaporate due to over exposure.
Computer Vision is Often a Factor
One of the common reasons for dry eye issues is computer vision. In a study by the University of Iowa, people blink 66% less often while they are on a computer. With the increase of infrequent blinks a person may experience blurry and fluctuating vision. Even if your eyes produce enough tears, you may spend a lot of time looking at your computer screen without blinking frequently. That lack of blinking can dry your eyes out quickly, and make them feel gritty and tired. By treating computer vision and being mindful of how long you spend at the computer, it's possible to reduce or eliminate your dry eye symptoms.
Work With an Optometrist for Options
Contact us today at Everyone Eyecare if you're in the New Braunfels and San Antonio, TX, areas and in need of help for dry eye issues. We're committed to helping all our patients see more clearly and feel more confident in the health of their eyes. Because dry eye can be frustrating and uncomfortable, we know it's important to get it treated as soon as possible. Get the eye care help you need from us today by calling (830) 357-0736.
