The human tear covers the eye and is an important component since it protects it and influences the quality of vision. This is made up of a superficial fat barrier, an aqueous layer and a deep mucous layer. The alteration of these layers produces different types of dry eye. It is important to study the relationship of these symptoms with other diseases of the human body, or with environmental factors that can alter the eyelids; since they are the main causes of dry eye. For dry eye treatment, we can apply from artificial substitute tears and methods of improving the eyelid to personalized eye drops and blood derivatives, depending on the level of dryness of the eye.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the causes of dry eye?
Although the main cause of the appearance of dry eye is age and hormonal changes, other factors such as tobacco, excessive exposure to the sun, abuse of air conditioning or dry environments also contribute to the appearance of this syndrome.
Is it recommended to use contact lenses with dry eye?
The common soft contact lens absorbs the tear, which dries the eye more and tolerance is usually poor. There are types of contact lenses for these cases that create a tear reserve; The other alternative is to wear glasses or intraocular lenses.
What is the best treatment for dry eye?
The most recommended treatments for dry eye syndrome are the use of artificial tears, which help to refresh and lubricate the eye and the preservation of the tear itself through tear plugs, a method that helps preserve the natural tear for a longer time. . The eyelid can also be treated if there is associated inflammation.
What are the symptoms of dry eye?
The most common symptoms are the sensation of grit under the eyelids, blurred vision that improves when blinking, excessive tearing, and a feeling of dryness and eye irritation that progresses throughout the day.
Is dry eye related to conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis is irritation of the conjunctiva, the white part that surrounds the eye. It is easier for this irritation to occur if the eye is dry. There is also another closely related inflammation, this is blepharitis: inflammation of the eyelid rim.
What surgeries cause dry eye?
Dry eye is a possible complication of refractive surgery, being more frequent associated with LASIK. Techniques such as PRK, modern Femto-LASIK, SMILE and ICL intraocular lenses greatly reduce the feeling of dry eye after surgery.
Are dry eye and blepharitis related?
Eyelid problems are also causes of the appearance of dry eye, so blepharitis, an inflammation of the edge of the eyelids, is actually related to this syndrome. Specifically, the meibomian glands that are located inside the eyelid produce the fatty component of the tear. If it fails, the tear evaporates more easily and does not adequately fulfill its function.
What tests can detect dry eye?
Dry eye can be detected through tests such as the Schirmer test, which measures the level of tear production, but the quality of the tear can also be analyzed with techniques such as the BUT (Break Up Time) and the OSDI survey (Ocular Surface Disease Index).
What foods help control dry eye?
Intake of OMEGA 3 fatty acids can improve tear production and the quality of fat in the tear, thus reducing the sensation of dry eye.
