About Dry Eyes

To maintain vision and remain comfortable, the eyes depend on tears for lubrication and moisture. Glands around the eye secrete tears, which are made of a combination of water, oils, proteins, antibodies and mucus. When these glands malfunction for any reason and produce fewer tears, the symptoms of dry eyes develop. Dry eyes are not only painful. Chronically dry eyes can damage the cornea and result in loss of sight.

Significance

• Dry eyes are a widespread problem that can interfere with daily life and result in significant long-term eye damage. The symptoms of dry eyes, when severe, can drastically reduce a person's ability to participate in many daily activities, and may even prevent her from reading or driving. The redness that often results from chronic dry eyes is also a source of embarrassment for some people, and may result in social withdrawal and feelings of insecurity.

Types

• The type of dry eyes is determined by the cause of the condition. While some cases of dry eyes are caused by an imbalance in the eye's tear-flow system, most cases result from the drying out of the tear film in the eye. This type of dry eyes is usually due to constant exposure to air conditioning, heating or other environmental irritants. Aging and menopause can result in dry eyes, and many medications, such as birth control pills and antihistamines, may cause or worsen the condition. Certain underlying diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, collagen vascular diseases and Sjogren's syndrome, affect the eye's ability to produce tears and cause dryness. Additionally, any structural problems that prevent the eyes from closing properly will eventually lead to dry eyes. One of those most common types of dry eyes is that caused by contact lenses.

Identification

• The signs and symptoms of dry eyes are typically enough to identify and diagnose the condition. In cases where tears are insufficient to adequately lubricate the eye, a person with dry eyes may experience itching and redness, blurry vision, a feeling of grittiness in the eye, light sensitivity and pain. Someone suffering from dry eyes may also experience excessive tearing in one eye. This is a result of the eye sending a message through the nervous system to signal an increase in tears. In response to this message, the eye is flooded with liquid to compensate for the lack of tears. Unfortunately, this liquid lacks the lubricating qualities that accompany normal tears. While effective at removing debris from the eye, this liquid does not properly coat the surface of the eye, and therefore does not relieve the dryness. In rare cases, symptoms alone are not enough to receive a diagnosis of dry eyes. When symptoms are atypical, a doctor may opt to measure the amount of tears in the eyes by placing a thin strip of paper at the edge of the eye. This is called a Schirmer's test.

Prevention/Solution

• While dry eyes cannot always be cured, the symptoms can be managed through both treatment and prevention. Prevention of dry eyes typically involves eliminating any environmental triggers, wearing sunglasses while outdoors to reduce exposure to dust, sunlight and wind, and using an air filter when indoors to filter out dust and allergens. Eye specialists recommend drinking more water and eating a diet high in cold-water fish, such as salmon, cod and sardines. These fish contain essential fatty acids that have proved to be beneficial to eye health. Nutritional supplements containing essential fatty acids may also decrease dry eye symptoms.
  Those who wear contact lenses may need to switch to another type of lens or resume wearing glasses to prevent dry eyes. If medications are thought to be responsible for dry eye symptoms, a change in medications may be necessary. Silicone plugs, called punctal plugs, are available to prevent the tears in the eyes from draining away as quickly. These plugs may be helpful for some sufferers of dry eyes, but they must be inserted by a trained medical professional and are not available over the counter. Eye drops are also available, both by prescription and over the counter, but these should be used long-term only under the supervision of an eye professional. If these options fail to prevent dry eyes, surgical closure of the tear ducts may be required.

Warning

• The consequences of dry eyes range from simple irritation to ocular inflammation and damage. Most people who suffer from dry eyes do not experience serious complications, but if left untreated, severe cases may result in abrasions on the eye's surface, inflammation, infections and corneal scarring. Advanced cases can result in thickening of the corneal surface, corneal ulceration or erosion, epithelial defects and pathological changes, and corneal perforation.