Dry Eye Syndrome, sometimes called chronic dry eye, is caused by a persistent altering of the protective hydrating film of the eye. The protective hydrating film over the eye has three basic components: water, oil and mucus. All of these components must be in the right balance to maintain eye health.
Moisture imbalances in the eye are caused by disease, eye congestion, eye fatigue and certain medications. Environmental changes are also instigators. Factors such as prolonged exposure to sun, smoke, wind and air-conditioning can cause eye dryness. For example, the extremely dry, windy environment of the Texas Panhandle, combined with pollen and other allergens, amplifies the potential for severe eye irritation.
While dry, itchy eyes affect most of us at some time or another, Dry Eye Syndrome occurs when the following symptoms become chronic:
A dry or gritty feeling
Burning
Redness
Irritation
Blurred vision that comes and goes
Excessive watering of the eye
Left untreated, these symptoms lead to painful, itchy eyes that become excessively chapped, which in turn, make sufferers more susceptible to scratches and infections.
Normally, the amount of film produced decreases as you age. By age 65, your body produces 40 percent less film than it did when you were 18. Similar to cataracts, chances are that when you reach a certain age you will develop Dry Eye Syndrome.
Traditionally an issue affecting patients older than 50, dry eye syndrome is now affect patients earlier in life. Time spent staring at computer screens, playing video games, surfing the web on our smart devices or watching TV leads to poor blinking reflexes and insufficient lid closure. These behaviors are thought to be linked to an rise in dry eye syndrome rates in younger age groups.
This eye disorder is also very common in women going through menopause as well as those using oral contraception or hormone replacement therapy. These changes in body chemistry are enough to tweak the tri-layered protectant in your eye, spurring chronic dry eye.
Talk to the Broome Optical eye care professionals about dry eye treatment options. Some of the most popular forms of treatment are:
Artificial tears
Ointments
Humidifier
Allergy drops
Steroids
Omega 3 supplements
Punctal plugs
Restasis drops (by prescription only)
Broome Optical also offers a cutting edge procedure, LipiFlow, that addresses dry eye symptoms within 15 minutes. Learn more about this procedure here.
If you need relief from dry, burning, itchy eyes, contact Broome Optical’s team of eye care experts for a dry eye assessment.
Broome Optical Eye Doctors can provide relief for dry eyes.
Research shows that 86% of patients who visit an eye doctor with dry eyes symptoms suffer from eye congestion. LipiFlow is a device that treats dry eye syndrome caused by eye congestion. Learn More About LipiFlow
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