Dry Eye Syndrome

You feel like you have sand inside your eyes? You are constantly suffering from dry, red, irritated eyes, from eye pain? Staring at a computer screen for a long time is difficult for you? The most likely reason is dry eye syndrome. Do not think that all the symptoms will go away on their own, or you will get used to them! You should better contact your eye doctor and fix this problem once and forever!

What is Dry Eye Syndrome?

Dry eye syndrome is caused by lack of lubrication and deficiency of the tear film which covers the normal ocular surface. Tears wash the ocular surface, thereby cleansing and disinfecting it. The disease can manifest itself in the form of constant, but mild eye irritation or serious eye inflammation, which, if left untreated, leads to corneal scarring.

What are the symptoms associated with dry eye?
Symptoms of the disease include:

• Dry, itchy, burning eyes;
• Eye redness and pain in or behind the eye;
• Sensitivity to light;
• Gradual loss of vision;
• Keratitis (inflammation of the cornea).

Another common symptom is a foreign body sensation, a gritty feeling as if a grain of fine sand is in your eye.

Extremely dry eyes can cause you to produce excess tears. Because your eyes are not receiving proper lubrication, you continue to produce an abundance of tears as a means of protection, but they evaporate very quickly.

Dry eye syndrome may affect the outcome of surgery, so, before and after the surgery (if you have this disease), you should put in lubricant eye drops.

Dry Eye Syndrome Causes

External Сauses:

1. Blue (artificial) light emitted by screens. While working on a computer, we blink less often, which causes faster evaporation of fluid from the tear film.
2. Excessive ultraviolet radiation.
3. Air conditioning.
4. Dry indoor air.
5. Poor ventilation.
6. Outdoor environment. The dry climate and wind adversely affect your eyes.
7. Smoking.

Most often, office workers, school children, students and shop workers suffer from the disease, because prolonged exposure to artificial light and staring at a computer screen dry their eyes.

Internal Causes:

1. Aging. Dry eye syndrome is becoming more common in elderly population.
2. Menopause.
3. Diabetes.
4. Disorders of the endocrine system.
5. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
6. Rheumatoid arthritis.
7. Hormonal imbalance.
8. Chronic blepharitis, etc.

Dry Eye Syndrome: Diagnosis and Treatment

To find out if you have dry eye syndrome, you need to contact an eye specialist. After a comprehensive eye examination, highly qualified ophthalmologistsof Okomedikas Clinic in Cherkasy will make an accurate diagnosis. If you have eye dry syndrome, they will select the best and the most effective treatment for you.

In most cases, lubricating eye drops and physical exercise help relieve the symptoms of the disease.

In the case of acute inflammation, medications and internal procedures are recommended that will help your body produce more natural tears and prevent dehydrated eyes.