How to treat Dry Eyes?

Our eyes need tears to stay healthy and comfortable. If your eyes do not produce enough tears, it is called dry eye.

When you blink, a film of tears spreads over the eye. This keeps the eye’s surface smooth and clear. The tear film is important for good vision.

Sometimes the eyes don’t make enough tears or something affects one or more layers of the tear film. In those cases, we end up with dry eyes. This leads to a condition called Dry Eye Syndrome.

Symptoms  of  Dry Eye.

Ø  Eyes are stinging and burning.

Ø  Blurred vision, especially when reading

Ø  There is a scratchy or gritty feeling like something is in your eye.

Ø  There are strings of mucus in or around your eyes.

Ø  Your eyes are red or irritated. This is especially true when you are in the wind or near cigarette smoke.

Ø  It is painful to wear contact lenses.

Ø  Lots of tears in your eyes.

Ø  Having a lot of tears in your eyes with Dry Eye might sound odd. But your eyes make more tears when they are irritated by dry eye.

Causes  of Dry Eye.

Ø  Diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, thyroid disease, and lupus

Ø  Blepharitis (when eyelids are swollen or red)

Ø  Entropion (when eyelids turn in); ectropion (eyelids turn outward)

Ø  Being in smoke, wind or a very dry climate

Ø  Looking at a computer screen for a long time, reading and other activities that reduce blinking

Ø  Using contact lenses for a long time

Ø  Hormonal changes

Ø  Taking certain medicines, such as:

o   Diuretics (water pills) for high blood pressure

o   Beta-blockers, for heart problems or high blood pressure

o   Allergy and cold medicines (antihistamines)

o   Anxiety and antidepressant medicines

o   Acidity medicines

   

Treatment of Dry Eye:

Your ophthalmologist will begin with an eye exam. He or she will look at your eyelids and the surface of the eye. They will also check how you blink.

There are many different tests that help diagnose dry eyes. Your ophthalmologist may do a test that measures the quality or the thickness of your tears. He or she may also measure how quickly you produce tears.

Artificial tear drops in the eyes are generally advised for treatment. These are eye drops that are like your own tears. You can use artificial tears as often as you need to.

For a complete eye check -up   please visit our ophthalmology department at Wockhardt Hospital.