DRY EYES.
As people get older they start to suffer from dry eyes and or suffer from
dry eye syndrome and it may be associated with medical conditions. Dry eye is a very
common condition and occurs when people don’t have enough tears, or the correct composition
of tears, the eye therefore becomes uncomfortable. One strange paradox is that a
watery eye can in fact be caused by a dry eye. The dryness and irritation of the
eye causes it to send signals to the brain asking for more tears. Unfortunately the
eye only needed one tear, but the brain decides to send what seems like a small bucket
load. These extra tears then overflow over the lid margin and down the cheek or onto
the glasses. This resolves the problem until the eye dries out again and the cycle
is repeated.
The diagram above shows the layers of the tear film and the location of the glands responsible for the secretion of the film's components onto the surface of the eye: The outer, oily layer of the tear film is produced by the meibomian glands in the eyelids and reduces evaporation of the tears. The thick, middle, watery layer is made by the lacrimal gland above the upper eyelid and washes away irritants. The inner, mucus layer is secreted by the goblet cells in the conjunctiva of the eyelids and helps the tear film stick to the cornea.
Dry eye’s prevalence increases with age, so that it is extremely common in older
people of both sexes. The condition affects two-
SYMPTOMS
If you have dry eye, your eyes can feel persistently gritty, itchy, burning,
and painful. These sensations often worsen as the day goes on. Stringy mucus may
appear in or around the eyes. Patients with the most severe disease are at increased
risk of developing corneal infection, scarring or ulceration. These conditions can
cause permanent vision loss, so it is important to seek professional help if you
have severe symptoms of dry eye.
Dry eye syndrome rarely leads to blindness, but as it is so common visits for dry eye syndrome are one of the leading reasons for patients to seek eye care. This is because its symptoms are very bothersome and lead to a decreased quality of life, reduced work capacity, and poorer psychological health. Furthermore, dry eye syndrome is associated with a decreased ability to perform activities that require visual attention, such as reading and driving a car.
Severe dry eye is sometimes caused by Sjögren's syndrome, which is a chronic, multi-
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Anything that may cause dryness, such as an overly warm room, hair
driers, smoke, or wind, should be avoided by any person with dry eye. A humidifier
in heated rooms may help. If wearing contact lenses increases your discomfort, wear
spectacles instead. Some people with dry eye complain of scratchy eyes when they
wake up; this symptom can be treated by using an simple eye ointment last thing at
night. There is some evidence that, in older women, hormone replacement therapy makes
dry eye worse.
TREATMENT
The first line of treatment is usually eye drops that act as artificial
tears and give some temporary relief. These solutions and ointments give some temporary
relief, but do little to arrest or reverse any damaging conditions. Many brands are
available without a prescription. For mild cases, try several to find the one you
like best then if required your General Practitioner can put it on repeat prescription
for you. The preservatives in some eye drops can irritate the eye so preservative-
Tears drain out of each eye, and into the nose, through a small channel. Your ophthalmologist may decide to close these channels with either a temporary punctal plug or permanently, to keep the tear film on the surface for a longer time.