Written By : Dr.Niroshini Rangana
AS working from home for adults and online classes for children become the norm, more people are spending prolonged periods in front of their screens.
Eye health is now a concern with this lifestyle. It is not uncommon for individuals to suffer from dry eyes and other eye-related conditions because of these changes.
Dry eyes refers to a condition where there is lack of lubrication and moisture on the surface of the eye. An adequate and consistent layer of tears is essential to keep eyes healthy and comfortable.
Dry eye disease (DED), also known as dry eye syndrome (DES), keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), and keratitis sicca, is a multifactorial disease of the tears and the ocular surface that results in discomfort, visual disturbance and tear film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface.
Common symptoms include feeling a foreign body sensation in both eyes after reading, driving or doing work on the computer. Eyes often feel dry, there’s a burning sensation or there may be a tired or heavy feeling.
Vision is initially clear but becomes blurred after some time. After blinking or closing the eyes for a short while, vision becomes clear again. There may also be episodes of tearing.
UNDERSTANDING THE CAUSES
Symptoms of DED tend to worsen at the end of the day and in dry, dusty and windy environments or in air-conditioned rooms.
The most common cause of dry eyes is increased evaporation of the normal tear film over the cornea due to imbalances in tear content. The reasons are not known but this imbalance becomes more common with age and is aggravated by windy conditions, air conditioning, prolonged reading and prolonged use of computers, tablets and smartphones. This is because the normal blinking reflex to re-wet the cornea is suppressed.
Certain medications also result in decreased production of tears by the lacrimal gland. Check with your eye doctor whether the medications you are on can cause dry eyes.
Some diseases such as diabetes mellitus are commonly associated with dry eyes. Scarring of the eyelids and conjunctiva from chemical injuries can also cause the problem. In rare cases, diseases directly affecting the lacrimal gland also result in reduced tear production. Eyelid abnormalities resulting in incomplete closure of the eyelids also result in this condition.
TAKE ACTION
One way to prevent it is to start treatment in anticipation of getting dry eyes. An eye doctor can diagnose the condition. Most eye drops for dry eyes contain ingredients that lubricate the eyes and can be used in the long term without causing harm to the eyes.
Eyewash solutions and eye drops are the mainstay of treatment. These eye drops have different ingredients and vary in their viscosity.
The less viscous eye drops are for mild dry eyes while thicker ones are for more severe dry eyes. Your eye doctor can help in choosing the right one for you.
For mild cases due to computer use, reading, schoolwork and other situational causes, the best treatment may simply be frequent use of artificial tears or other lubricating eye drops.
Artificial tears with low viscosity are thin and watery. Those with high viscosity are more gel-like and can provide lasting lubrication but these are not a good choice during your workday or when you need immediate clear vision for tasks such as driving.
Sometimes, high-viscosity artificial tears are recommended only for bedtime use.
In certain situations, steroid eye drops and special anti-inflammatory eye drops may be additionally prescribed.
Surgical procedures for dry eyes are done depending on the cause of it. Usually, they are for severe cases resulting from scarring of the cornea or conjunctiva as a result of injury.
Laser refractive surgery is not advised for some patients with dry eyes unless their case is very mild. Your eye doctor can check your eyes for suitability of laser refractive surgery and advise accordingly. For those who are suitable, dry eyes need to be controlled first before the surgery.
For those wearing contact lenses, keep in mind that contact lenses may interfere with normal tear distribution across the cornea and disrupt the tear film stability of the eye. Dry eyes is also a common reason why some people cannot tolerate contact lenses.
However, in some situations, contact lenses in the presence of adequate tear supplements may actually be used to treat severe dry eyes.
Untreated dry eyes may cause damage to the cornea. The cornea becomes dry and develops permanent scarring.
*The writer is a specialist in ophthalmology at Pantai Hospital Klang.
