Dry Eye Syndrome
What is Dry Eye Syndrome?
Dry Eye Syndrome is one of the most common problems treated
by eye surgeons and is usually
caused by a reduced quality of the tear film that
lubricates the eyes.
Causes of Dry Eye Syndrome
Dry eye syndrome has many causes; The Ageing process is most common and this is due to a decrease in the amount of oil produced which causes the tear film to evapourate quicker, leaving dry areas on the cornea.
Other causes include hot, dry or windy climates, high altitudes, air-conditioning and cigarette smoke. Many people also find their eyes become irritated when reading or working on a computer.
Contact lens wearers can also suffer from dryness due to the contact lenses absorbing the tear film. this causes proteins to form on the surface of the lens.
Women frequently
experience problems with dry eyes as they enter menopause
because of hormonal changes.
Diagnosis of Dry Eye Syndrome
Symptoms include:
Itching
Burning
Irritation
Redness
Blurred vision that improves with blinking
Excessive tearing
Increased discomfort after periods of reading, watching TV,
or working on a computer
Treatments of Dry Eye Syndrome
It is important to treat dry eye problems for the health of the cornea, as well as for comfort.
Dry eyes can be treated with a number of different methods according the patienst needs, suitable treatments include:
Artificial tears which are lubricating eyedrops
that may alleviate the dry, scratching feeling to the eyes.
Punctal plugs, which are temporary or permanent silicone plugs
in the lacrimal (tear) ducts that reduce the speed at which
tears drain from the eye.
Lifestyle changes may also help such
as drinking more water, making
a conscious effort to blink frequently and avoiding rubbing
the eyes, which only increases the irritation.
Contact lenses wear causing dry eyes may indicate the need
to try a different lenses or to wear contact lenses for
less hours each day. This is something that should be discussed
with your eye care practitioner.
Eye Treatments
- LASIK eye surgery
- LASEK eye surgery
- PRK eye surgery
- Implantable Contact Lenses( ICL's)
- LASIK Wavefront
- Cataract surgery
Eye conditions
- Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)
- Astigmatism
- Blepharitis
- Cataracts
- Colour Blindness
- Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Dry Eye Syndrome
- Glaucoma
- Hyperopia (Long sight)
- Keratoconus
- Macular Degeneration (AMD)
- Myopia (Short Sight)
- Ocular Hypertension
- Photophobia (Light Sensitivity)
- Presbyopia
- Ptosis (Drooping Eyelid)
- Retinal Detachment
- Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Strabismus
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