Dry eye is a clinical condition that occurs when your tears cannot provide sufficient moisturization for the eye surface. Dry eye disease is one of the most common eye disorders and is at the top of the list of applications to eye clinics. If you cannot produce enough tears or your tear quality is poor, you may have symptoms of dry eye.
Risk factors in dry eye formation; advanced age, living in air-conditioned environments, allergic eye disease, thyroid disorders, rheumatological disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's, vitamin A deficiency, use of medications that affect tear production (antidepressants, antihistamines, hormone treatments, etc.), use of contact lenses, eye laser Various factors can be listed, such as surgery and a history of intense blue screen exposure.
Dry eye disease is examined under two main subheadings: insufficient tear production and rapid evaporation type. In the dry eye clinic; Symptoms such as stinging, burning, redness, pain, watering, sensitivity to light, foreign body sensation in the eye, blurred vision, eye fatigue, difficulty driving at night, intolerance to air-conditioned or dry environments, and sticky discharge in and around the eye may be observed.
In the diagnosis of dry eye; Eye examination with biomicroscopy is important. The patient's history is helpful in diagnosis. Staining the tears with special dyes and determining the amount of tears with the Schirmer test are tests that can be used in diagnosis. Additionally, corneal topography, meibography, and non-invasive tear breakup time measurement are among the tests that can be performed to aid diagnosis and determine the cause.
In the treatment of dry eye clinic; Artificial tear drops and gel can be used to keep the eye moist. However, the choice of medical treatment is evaluated by the ophthalmologist according to the type of dry eye and provided with personalized treatment. Because other eye conditions can also cause dry eyes, other conditions will also need to be treated. In some dry eye patients, the approach is to preserve existing tears. The corners of the eyes can be covered with tear protection glasses. Additionally, humidifying the room they are in with humidifiers, especially at night, will also provide relief. To protect existing tears The small canals that allow it to move away from the eye can be closed temporarily or permanently with surgical procedures.
Dry eye is a disease that can be controlled with medical or surgical treatments in advanced stages, depending on the clinic. However, it is important that patients comply with the treatment and treatment duration and follow the recommendations of their own ophthalmologists.
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