DRY EYE
SPECIALISTS IN THE DRY EYE SYNDROME
The dry eye syndrome is an eye pathology that mainly affects women over 50.
In Spain it is estimated that there are around 5 million people with this pathology, most of them undiagnosed.
It is a chronic disease that affects the superficial part of our eyes, and can go beyond a simple “lack of tears” as it could cause more serious problems such as injuries to the cornea and other visual problems.
Dry eye syndrome requires personalized treatment.
WHAT IS DRY EYE SYNDROME?
We use the term ‘dry eye’ to talk about the problems with the amount of tear in the eye or its poor quality that may affect the cornea, the conjunctiva or the eyelids.
This is one of the most common reasons for ophthalmological consultation due to the pain and discomfort it can cause the patient.
Among the main causes of dry eye syndrome are:
- Age
- Menopause
- Smoking
- Women
- Anxiolytics, antidepressants, contraceptives and other medications.
The dry eye can also be referred to as keratitis sicca (to describe dryness and corneal inflammation). Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (to describe dry eye, which affects both the cornea and the conjunctiva) and lacrimal dysfunction syndrome (to determine that an inadequate quality of tears may be just as important as an inadequate amount).
SYMPTOMS OF THE DRY EYE
When a patient comes to consultation and is diagnosed “dry eye” can be related to different symptoms, depending on the person and the particular case may suffer one or other symptoms:
- Burning
- Dry eyes
- Burning
- Redness
- Punctures
- Grit sensation
- Annoyances when performing tasks that require visual effort (reading, television, etc ...)
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF THE DRY EYE?
As we commented at the beginning of the article, When we talk about dry eye syndrome we can attribute it to different factors:
1. Age
The dry eye can appear at any age and for various reasons, however, the older the person is, the more likely they are to have dry eyes. There is a greater tendency for women older than 50 to suffer from it.
2. Menopause
During the menopause phase for a woman there are hormonal decreases causing an alteration in the stimulation of the secretion of all the mucous membranes in the woman’s body.
3. Tobacco addiction
Tobacco secretes very irritating substances that can affect the tear level of our eyes.
4. Anxiolytics, antidepressants, contraceptives and other medications.
Some medications can cause hormonal changes, such as a decrease in hormones that secrete mucus.
FACTORS THAT EXACERBATE DRY EYE SYNDROME
Other factors that can increase the consequences and aggravate the tear dysfunction syndrome are:
Allergic disorders, rheumatic diseases, abuse of contact lenses, reading for long periods of time, being exposed to excessive air conditioning…
DIAGNOSIS OF THE DRY EYE
To correctly detect the dry eye syndrome and in good time, it is essential that a specialist does a thorough examination of the eyelids and free edge, to determine the frequency of blinking, tear production, and even perform a biopsy to get a diagnosis.
In certain cases it may be advisable to perform a blood test to rule out autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren’s syndrome.
DRY EYE TREATMENT
There are different treatments for dry eye
- Artificial tears. They are an isotonic or hypotonic saline solution that helps to prolong the permanence of the artificial tear on the ocular surface.
- Gels
- Corticosteroids
- Ciclosporin
- Lacrimal dot plugs
- IPL laser. It emits cold pulsed light that stimulates the Meibomian glands, stimulating the glands of the eye and producing more tear secretion, improving the quality of the patient.
HOW TO PREVENT IT?
The main way to prevent it is to be one step ahead of the pathology, avoiding activities such as those we have seen previously (smoking, avoiding environments with smoke, excess air conditioning, use of contact lenses…).
On the other hand, although we do not feel any dry eye symptoms it is advisable to use daily artificial tears that will help us prevent dry eye disease.
For any symptom of dry eye syndrome do not hesitate to make an appointment in our clinic where we will give you a personalized treatment for your specific case.
If you have any symptoms or discomfort, do not hesitate to make an appointment at our clinic.
