Dry eye reliefIf you work at a computer, you may not blink frequently enough to maintain proper lubrication of the surface of your eyes. Click here to install a "blinker" reminder on your computer. For some people, taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements can decrease inflammation and improve comfort. For more ways to manage dry eye, and RPB-supported research developments, download the Dry Eye Fact Sheet. |
According to researchers, increased salt concentration in the tears leads to problems with the eye surface and produces most dry eye symptoms. Patients may be able to find relief through the use of eye drops designed to restore proper tear film salt concentration or eye moisturizing drops and sprays. In more severe cases, when tear production is impaired, an inflammatory reaction may set in, further damaging cells on the surface of the eye and further suppressing tear production. Some of these patients may be able to improve tear gland function by using anti-inflammatory medicine.
Causes and risk factors
| The tear film is complex. The first layer, produced by the conjunctiva, makes the corneal surface more adherent for the next layer. The middle layer is watery, and is produced by the lacrimal (tear) gland, which lies within the orbit on the outer portion of the upper eye. The third layer, secreted by the meibomian glands in the eyelid, prevents evaporation. | |
Dry eye can be caused by a variety of circumstances: contact lens use; smoking; exposure to hot, dry or windy climates; autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis; thyroid conditions; menopause; increasing age; decreased blinking; the use of certain medications; and a dietary deficiency of omega-3 essential fatty acids. One of the biggest risk factors is Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease in which the white blood cells attack the body's own moisture-producing glands.
Symptoms
Dry Eye symptoms include: sandy-gritty irritation or burning eyes; blurred vision that clears with blinking; and discomfort from reading, TV watching or computer use. Treatments range from altering the physical environment, to artificial tears, to dietary changes, to a procedure called punctal occlusion that retains tears on the surface of the eye, to drug therapy.
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