Chronic Dry Eye

Chronic Dry Eye and You

IAllergies? Been spending your after-hours in smoky environs, or a polluted area? Whatever the cause, dry eyes produce a bewildering sensation—there’s arguably no stranger feeling than wanting to scratch one’s eyeball. But perhaps a more persistent dry eye indicates an anatomical optometric malfunction. If so, it could be easier than you think to solve the problem at the source. And, did you know? Untreated chronic dry eye syndrome can lead to eye disease or a premature need for glasses—the eye condition isn’t as inconsequential as color blindness after all.

One possible literal eye sore? You could have a tear duct malfunction. It could be hormones, a symptom or rheumatoid arthritis. You could even be lacking some of the protein that saline tears need to keep an eye properly coated. So where you can turn?

Chronic Dry Eye in the Office: How a Cocktail of Florescence and Concentration Can Leave Your Peepers Sapped

Many business office complexes administer climate control flowing via A/C units, making for an altogether arid and often dusty environment. In addition to that, it’s been found that people blink 50% less while concentration (and we’re not just talking staring contests, unless you’ve somehow made a career doing that. If so, well done.) A combination of this and florescence of light bulbs (which contain neon gas) can be fatiguing and ultimately very drying for your eyes. Especially if that florescent bulb is flickering, the constant readjustment of your pupils can cause a serious eye strain.

Possible solutions to the office environment dry eye? A humidifier, stationed away from any water-sensitive electronics, of course. Also consider using soft lighting at eye-level to keep your eyes from constantly readjusting to the glare of a computer screen. Other innovative solutions include wearing padded goggles or sunglasses indoors. You may be taunted and nicknamed Stevie Wonder, but you and your moistened eyes are sure to have the last laugh.

Focus on the Original Problem: Diseases that Routinely Cause Chronic Dry Eye

Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, and also Rosacea are a few illnesses with the side effect of persistent dry eye. For these conditions, chronic dry eye isn’t the root of the cause but a mere symptom of something more serious.

“The Change”, or menopause in women can cause persistent chronic dry eye syndrome—hormonal changes, or a drought of estrogen, is to blame for this. (Women taking hormonal birth control pills can attest, as they experience the same baffling chronic dry eye predicament) Though an oblivious outsider might counter that chronic dry eye seems like a minor inconvenience, those afflicted understand—extreme chronic dry eye affects 8% of adult women over 50 and 5% of adult men of the same age group.

Minor Corneal Injuries and Treatment

Corneal scratches can occur from flying dust particles, or in more extreme cases chronic eye dryness. Contact wearers (especially hard contact lenses) who inadvertently leave those lenses in for too long can also get a corneal abrasion, essentially a loss of the epithelial layer of the eye.

Many parts of our eyes are covered in epithelial layers--the retina has an epithelial layer that, if not properly treated, can accumulate yellow cellular mass and then incur macular degeneration. The epithelial layer of the cornea, like other epithelial layers, is only one cell layer thick--a delicate sheen, to be sure.

The good news is, flying dust particles, even finely ground gravel to the eyeball can be healed with antiobiotics to heal any infection that the foreign objects produced. If your corneal abrasion was due to contact lenses, one of the worst things you can do to set back healing is to return to you regular contact lens wearing routing—instead, you should wear your glasses to let your eyes breath in some oxygen. You can also wear special bandage contact lenses that allow oxygen into the eyes for a convenient eye safety healing process.

Common Cures for Chronic Dry Eye

Eyedrops are the quickest, easiest way to control one’s eye climate and overall chronic dry eye syndrome. However, a common mistake in remedying chronic dry eye is to mistreat the ailment with redness reducing drops instead of “artificial tear” eyedrops.

What could be better than artificial tears? Try eye drops that help further stimulate tear production, restasis. Restasis drops are castor oil based, which may sound terrifying but is proven to work!

How about something non-prescription and non invasive? “punctual plugs” that pressure the inner corners of your eyes. These plugs help keep the tears you can produce where they belong—on your eye! This product also might be helpful for someone going through a break-up who doesn’t want to sacrifice their elaborate eye make-up.

The question on everyone’s mind-- are laser procedures safe for chronic dry eye sufferers? Some lasers light pulses are too intense for the dry eye. Consider this:lasik and ppk lasers can cause dry eye for those undergoing nearsightedness or far sighted laser procedures who’d never experienced chronic dry eye before. Therefore, these specific laser brands should be avoided by those of arid eyeball.

Want to find out other ways you can permanently quench your eyeballs’ thirst? Call the number listed on this screen toll-free. We have the answer your eyes have been looking for!