Tears in short supply. What are the consequences?

Surely, this condition is not life threatening, but it still causes you trouble: itching, burning in your eyes, a gritty, sandy feeling or a foreign body sensation – these are all typical symptoms of dry eye syndrome.

Many people never think about how important tears are for their good health until natural tear production is disrupted. Nature herself created the tears to keep our eyes healthy and ensure clear vision, they protect human organs of vision from different irritants (microbes, dust, etc.) and prevent symptoms of dry eye. Therefore, when this fluid is lacking in amount or quality, or if moisture on the surface of the eye evaporates too quickly, the person is feeling discomfort, which is manifested by a range of individual symptoms.

The most common symptoms of dry eye syndrome are as follows:

• itchy or burning eyes;
• severe eye irritation caused by smoke or wind;
• photophobia, watering eyes;
• discomfort when wearing contact lenses or blurred vision;
• a gritty, sandy feeling; a foreign body sensation;
• ankyloblepharon (adhesion between upper and lower eyelids), accumulation of viscous mucus in the eyes or around the eyes;
• decline in productivity towards the evening and changes in visual acuity during a working day.

If you experience any of the above symptoms, you need to see your eye doctor right away.

In children, dry eye syndrome is most dangerous merely because a child has no awareness of the problem and pays no attention to the symptoms. That is why it is so important to bring your toddler to the ophthalmologist for regular eye examinations, as well as contact the eye doctor if your kid has even the slightest complaint, or if you notice any warning signs: for example, if your child keeps squinting or rubbing their eyes.

Most often, the discomfort is not great, so most adults do not even try to get rid of it. But if not to treat the disease, the condition only worsens over time. The development of dry eye disease can lead to a damaged cornea and impaired vision.

Oddly enough, dry eyes are sometimes watering, it looks as if a person is crying. There is no paradox here. The thing is our eye can produce tears in two ways. The first is the basic one: basal tears are secreted continuously and not fast in order to moisten the surface of the eye and keep our eyes lubricated all the time. The second way is producing reflex tears. For example, when some foreign particle has gotten into an eye, excess tears are necessary to wash it out. If reflex tear secretion is intact, then in response to wind, smoke, bright light and other irritants, the dry eye becomes wet.

What Causes Dry Eyes?

There can be a great many causes of this condition; here we list only the main ones:

• the natural aging process when the body fails to produce enough fatty oils;
• special periods in a woman’s life (pregnancy, lactation, menopause, climax);
• malnutrition when vitamins are not properly balanced in the body;
• certain medications;
• poor air quality (dry air, increasing air pollution, tobacco smoke, etc.);
• wearing contact lenses;
• some medical conditions – a person with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes or thyroid problems is more likely to have symptoms of dry eyes. Besides, dry eyes can be caused by inflammation of the eyelids, the cornea or eye muscles.
• Low blink rate, which tends to occur when a person spends a lot of time looking at a computer, tablet or smartphone.

By the way

Doctors recently discovered that the so called omega-3 fatty acid deficiency plays a big role in the development of dry eye syndrome. It turns out these fatty acids are essential for the production of tears: they stimulate both the lacrimal gland and sebaceous glands in an eyelid (they produce the fat layer of the tear film). So, rapeseed and linseed oil, walnuts and walnut oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids would help restore balance. And of course, dishes from oily fish.

Moreover, many common drugs have dry eye as a side effect.

The drugs that can cause dry eyes:

• diuretics – used for hypertension, heart failure;
• beta-blockers – used for hypertension and heart diseases;
• antihistamines – used for allergies;
• sleeping pills and many sedatives;
• some painkillers.

Remember:the best remedy for dry eyes is prophylaxis and prevention. So, at the slightest sign of discomfort do not hesitate to contact your eye doctor. Highly qualified specialists of Okomedikas Clinic are always there for you.