Dry Eyes: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Pain, itching eyes, strained to blink or grittiness are the most common symptoms of dry eye so-called syndrome, an eye disorder caused by various reasons, very common and annoying, but with proper treatment you can control.

The so-called dry eye syndrome is an eye disorder more common than we think, which also is not at odds with age, that is, may appear at any stage of life. Among its symptoms, in addition to the ocular dryness or the feeling of grit, also include light sensitivity, eye fatigue, burning sensation, difficulty to open eyes to wake up and difficult to read. Symptoms that can directly influence our daily performance and concentration, as well as causes stress.

Dry Eye Causes

The inflammation of the eyelid, low tear production or rapid evaporation are the most common causes of dry eye syndrome, which can occur at any age, although it is true that as we get older we become more vulnerable. One of the risk factors of this eye disorder is in time, more and more, we passed in front of the screen of computers or other mobile devices, and we forget to blink by what is not renewed the tear film. The problem is further complicated when we use contact lenses as usual. In these cases, to get in front of the computer it’s best to replace the lenses for glasses.

The air conditioning, especially in summer, and environmental pollution also may favor its appearance. Another reason is that, with age, some people may have a disturbance of the glands of the edge of the eye, which can cause intense irritation and increased ocular dryness.

Dry Eye Treatment

Artificial tears are the most common and effective treatment. We can find in the form of gel or drops and their function is to hydrate the surface of the eye. Tears in gel form are generally more desirable in cases where it is difficult to close the eye during sleep and the cornea dries more easily, causing pain. Artificial tears are a topical treatment that not only relieves the symptoms of dry eye, but also improves vision and reduces eye irritation and staining of the ocular surface.

We also recommend using wipes or foam with anti-inflammatory properties to clean the eyelids. In the most severe cases of dry eye syndrome is autologous serum.

The treatment of this condition is usually chronic, and that the tendency is to let it reappear. Artificial tears should not be used only when the dry eye is annoying, but on a routine basis (three times a day) to avoid and prevent problems in the cornea and conjunctiva.