Dry Eye Syndrome: Causes and Treatment Options

Dr.Vidya Chaudhry, 4 mins read

Tear not only serve an emotional purpose but they also play an important role in maintaining health & function of eyes. Those tears are beneficial in keeping our eyes smooth and wet and help us see clearly. Moreover they also wash away debris in our eyes. Tears are secreted from lacrimal glands located above our eyes, and then into our tear ducts.

Tears are very important for eye health as tears are a mix of:

• Water - for moisture
  
• Oil - for lubrication
• Mucus - for uniform spreading
  
• Antibodies and some proteins - to protect from infections 

But when tears don’t work in the right way or when your eyes don’t make enough tears, your eyes can become dry. This condition is known as dry eyes or dry eye syndrome. Dry eyes can be frustrating and uncomfortable condition that affects million of people worldwide.

That’s why tears are very important for eye health. But when tears don’t work in the right way or when your eyes don’t make enough tears, your eyes can become dry. This condition is known as dry eyes or dry eye syndrome.

A person with dry eyes can experience:

• Itching
• Light sensitivity
  
• Redness in eyes
  
• Blurry vision or eye fatigue
  
• Burning or stinging sensation in eyes
  
• A feeling of having something in the eyes
  
• Watery eyes, which is the body's response against the irritation of dry eyes
  

Though dry eyes can happen at any age, people over 60 years of age, especially women, are at a higher risk.  Tear instability leads to inflammation and damage to the eyes surface and dry eye symptoms.

Causes

Decreased Tear Production

If lacrimal glands do not produce enough tears,, you can get dry eyes. This can be because of:

• Ageing
• Certain medicines
• Corneal nerve de-sensitivity, which is may be due to prolonged contact lens use.
• Some medical conditions (like allergic eye disease, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)

Increased Tear Evaporation

Tears have three layers - oil, water and mucus. When your tears don’t have enough of the only layer, tears tend to evaporate quickly.  This can be because of:

• Eye allergies
  
• Less blinking rate, improper blink
  
• Problems in eyelids
  
• Vitamin A deficiency
  
• Wind, dry air or smoke
  
• Preservatives in topical eye drops
  
• Posterior blepharitis, dysfunction of oil-producing glands, meibomian glands\
  

Treatment

Treatment of dry eyes depend on the type and severity. So, first, check with your doctor. He will evaluate your eyes and recommend the treatment options accordingly. Following are some of the common treatment options for dry eye syndrome:

Lifestyle Changes

If your environment or something in your life causes this disease or makes it worse, you should take the necessary measures. For example:

• Drink plenty of water every day.
• Try to avoid a smoky environment.
• Get around 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.
• Use a humidifier at your home and workplace.
• Wear wraparound sunglasses when you go outside.
• Look for alternatives to the medicines that are causing or worsening dry eyes.
• Follow a 20-20-20 rule when working on a computer. This rule says that a person should
• Take a break after every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Artificial Tear Drops

The most common treatment for mild dry eyes is artificial Tear eye drops. These drops replenish the water layer of the tear film and can provide relief.

Medicines

In cases of severe dry eyes, some specific medicines may be prescribed to increase tear production or decrease evaporation of tears from eyes.

Punctal Plugs

Your doctor may suggest punctal plugs, tiny devices that are placed in the tear ducts in eyelids and prevent drainage of tears. This two minute OPD procedure retain tears in your eyes.

Treat Underlying Conditions

If the doctor finds that another health condition is causing dry eyes, he’ll suggest treating that underlying condition.

Surgery

In case of dryness due to improper blinking or incomplete closure of eyes, your doctor may recommend a surgery to fix the eyelids.

Dry eyes syndrome is an annoying disease but with the right approach and guidance from your doctor it is easily treatable.

Also, Read: Diminished Vision in Younger Generations