Dry Eye – What it is, How it’s Caused, and Available Treatments
Dry eye syndrome is a condition where your eyes do not make enough tears or your tears evaporate too quickly.
This can lead to your eyes becoming dry, gritty and inflamed. Environmental factors such as sun, wind, air conditioning and smoke can have a drying effect on your eyes, causing the tears to evaporate more quickly.
There is some evidence that eating a diet that is high in omega-3 fats can help prevent dry eye syndrome.
BlephEx
If you have been diagnosed with blepharitis, you have probably been told to clean, wipe or warm your lids frequently. Some patients will get resolution of symptoms just with that. However, certain blepharitis can be more resilient.
If you still have symptoms despite your best effort, BlephEx is something for you. BlephEx™ has revolutionised blepharitis treatment. This is a simple procedure to give you a deep clean for your eyelids while you maintain it thereafter with our products of choice. BlephEx micro-sponge removes bacteria, scurf and debris which causes chronic inflammation of your lid margins. It is a bit like a dental hygienist cleaning away plaques.
Dry Eye can be caused by a number of factors. Here are some of the most common ones:
Ageing
Sadly as we get older our eyes produce fewer tears. This inevitably brings on Dry Eye as there are not enough tears to remove irritations and keep our eyes lubricated. Pregnant women and post menopausal women are particularly susceptible to Dry Eye. Men too can experience symptoms in old age.
Environment
There are plenty of environments which are not the best for our eyes. Wind, sun, and dry weather, and working indoors where dehumidifiers, fans and air conditioning is present.
Prolonged computer as well as dust, pollen, sand, working at height and smoke can each take their toll and can cause Dry Eye.
Contact Lens Use
When you wear contact lenses it is not uncommon to experience pain, infection, protein deposit build up, and irritation. Dry Eye is the main reason behind contact lens discomfort.
Medications
There are plenty of medications which can cause the symptoms of Dry Eye. These include beta – blockers, pain relievers, alcohol, anti – depressants, antihistamines, and decongestants.
Surgery
Surgical procedures on our eyes can cause an imbalance between Reflex and Constant tear production. This is normally temporary.
Auto Immune Disease
Sufferers of this disease notice that their eyes are dry and lips are sore. This may also be an indication that the person is suffering with Sjogren’s syndrome.