Dry eye syndrome, known as dry eye syndrome or keratoconjunctivitis sicca in Latin, is a health problem that is one of the leading causes of applications to ophthalmologists.
What is Dry Eyes?
The surface of the eye is moist thanks to tears is kept. Among the components of tears, there are water, oily substances, mucus and various substances that have a protective effect against microorganisms. dry eye may occur.
Dry eye is a problem that affects approximately 5% to 34% of the world and is clinically divided into 2 subtypes. Aqueous insufficiency, which expresses the problems related to tear production, and hyperevaporation, which expresses excessive evaporation of tears, constitute clinical subtypes of dry eye. Care should be taken as bacterial infections may cause scar tissue to form on the cornea and may pave the way for the development of vision-related problems.
What are the Causes of Dry Eyes? What Causes Dry Eyes?
Dry eye is a problem that can occur due to many factors. The tear layer in front of the structures related to vision is adversely affected due to various factors and these structures may be left unprotected against external factors. In many cases, dry eye may occur:
AgingDry eye is a problem that is more common in older ages. Especially after the age of 50, there is a significant increase in the incidence of dry eyes and this is due to the decrease in tear production with aging. After the use of drugs that adversely affect the production or structure of these substances, dryness may occur. Re-applying to the relevant physician, the side effects should be explained and the use of various methods such as artificial tear drops should be evaluated. The protective tear layer on the eye may be adversely affected by the person who looks at the computer screen for a long time, causing dry eye complaints. At the same time, taking a break every 20 minutes to look elsewhere and rest the eyes, while increasing the frequency of blinking and moisturizing the surface of the eye may provide benefits on dry eye symptoms.
Vitamin A DeficiencyVitamin A is an important vitamin for eye health. Eggs, carrots, spinach and broccoli can be considered as examples of foods rich in vitamin A.
Care should be taken as vitamin A deficiency may predispose to the emergence of various vision-related problems, especially night blindness and dry eyes.
Wind ExposureCold The protective tear layer on the eye surface of people living in windy and windy climates tends to evaporate faster.
Sjögren's Syndrome Disorders caused by the body's immune cells producing antibodies against their own structures are expressed as autoimmune diseases.
In Sjögren's disease, there is a struggle by the defense cells (white blood cells) against the cells that produce secretions in the body. The salivary glands and lacrimal glands are among the tissues affected by this disease. As a result of this effect, problems occur in both saliva and tear production, and complaints such as dry eyes and dry mouth occur.
Other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus may cause dry eye.
Allergic Disorders Substances that cause an allergic response in the body are called allergens. allergens Watering, itching and redness of the eyes may occur after contact with the product. While antihistamine drugs given to control this situation reduce the complaints due to allergies, it should be kept in mind that dryness complaints may worsen when used in someone with dry eye before.
Dehydration (Decrease in the Amount of Fluid in the Body) Dehydration may occur as a result of insufficient fluid intake into the body. In addition to symptoms such as dry eyes and mouth, conditions such as darkening of the urine color, drowsiness and accelerated heartbeat are also among the symptoms of dehydration. Dry Eye Symptoms A feeling of stickiness in the eyelids due to the change
How to Identify Dry Eyes ?
In order to provide complete treatment of dry eye, the underlying cause must first be revealed. Diagnostic approach to dry eye includes the medical history of the patient and the testing of tears.
Ophthalmologists can have an idea about the underlying causes of dry eye by examining the eyelashes, blink frequency and eye surface of the person during physical examination.
Schirmer's test is a method used to determine how much tears covering the eye surface are produced by the lacrimal glands. In this test, a 35x5 millimeter paper is placed at the bottom of the eye for 5 minutes. It can be determined how much of it is wet or not depending on the tears produced in a period of 2 to 12 seconds.
How to Treat Dry Eyes? What is Good for Dry Eyes?
The aim of the treatment of dry eye is primarily to regenerate the tear film at a level that will keep the eye surface moist. For this purpose, eye drops are the primary treatment methods.
There are many types of eye drops. Since the various minerals in the content of some eye drops may contribute to the improvement of other vision-related problems, they can be recommended by ophthalmologists. Preservatives prevent the growth of various microorganisms, such as bacteria, in artificial tears.
However, in some people, artificial tear drops without preservatives may be preferred, since preservatives increase the irritation of the eyes. Artificial tear drops can contribute to the reduction of stress on the surface of the eye and the quality of vision.
Anti-inflammatory drugs can be prescribed by the physician for the treatment of dry eye if the underlying cause is an inflammation of the tear-producing glands other than eye drops. /p>
What Happens If Dry Eyes Are Not Treated?
Tears protect the part of the eye called the cornea, which is the transparent layer of the eye, against external factors. Dry eye primarily leads to a significant decrease in the patient's quality of life. Other harmful effects are damage to the nerves in the cornea, loss of the eye's defense barrier and may lead to blindness in the long term.
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