What are dry eyes?
Tears in our eyes are crucial to lubricate and nourish our eyes. When the eyes cannot produce enough tears or have a poor quality of tears, there is a lack of lubrication resulting in dry eyes. Dry Eyes is more common in old people. It is a chronic problem.
Let us first understand tears. They are not mere expression of emotions. Tears are necessary to protect and nourish the front surface of the eyes. Tears are a complex mixture of water, fatty oil, and mucus. It spreads on the eye surface to moisten, coat evenly and prevent evaporation of the water layers.
With each blink of the eyelid, tears are spread across the cornea, the front surface of the eye. Besides lubricating the eye, tears reduce the risk of infection, wash away foreign matter in the eye and keep the eye surface smooth and clear.
What are the symptoms of dry eyes?
People with dry eyes have either low production of tears or poor quality of tears or both. Symptoms of dry eyes include:
- Stinging, burning and scratchy sensation in the eye.
- Sensitivity to light
- Foreign body sensation,
- Excessive tearing
- Difficulty in wearing contact lens
- Blurred vision
What causes dry eyes?
- Age above 65 years
- Women are more likely to develop dry eyes due to hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives and menopause.
- Certain medicines like decongestants, blood pressure medicines, anti-depressants can reduce the amount of tear production in the eyes.
- Exposure to smoke, wind and dry climates can increase dry eyes.
- In recent times, an added factor is the failure to blink while staring at a computer screen constantly, precipitating dry eyes in younger people.
What is the treatment for dry eyes
Generally, treatment for dry eyes is to restore or maintain the volume and quality of tears in the eyes. Doctors at Maa Nursing Home and NetraJyoti Eyecare Centre suggest several steps to treat dry eyes:
- Teardrops: The use of artificial teardrops is the primary treatment. These drops can supplement natural tear production.
- Conservation of tears: This is a surgical procedure in which the tear ducts are closed permanently. It reduces the symptoms by keeping the natural tears in the eye for a longer time.
- Some of the Self-Care measures that our doctors recommend are:
- Regularly blink the eyes while reading and working on a computer
- Wear proper sunglasses to reduce exposure to dry wind and sun
- Drink plenty of water
- Increase level of humidity in the air at work and home
- Avoid use of air conditioners