Dry Eye is a disorder of the tear film as a result of insufficient tear production or excessive evaporation of the tear. Affects quality of life of every individual from housewife to executive & teacher to farmer – Rural & Urban population alike If not diagnosed & treated adequately, can lead to suboptimal satisfaction in patients undergoing cataract or any ocular surgery.
• Tear film lubricates & protects the eyes with each blink. The eyelid spreads the tear film evenly on ocular surface. • Tear film lubricates & protects the eyes with each blink. The eyelid spreads the tear film evenly on ocular surface. o Inner mucous layer – Coats the cornea & helps the film to adhere to the surface. o Middle Aqueous Layer - Provides moisture & important nutrients to cornea. Produced by lacrimal gland. o Outer oily layer-- Prevents evaporation produced by meibomian glands of eyelids.
• Ageing : Increasing age is a cause for reduced natural tear production in the eye • Smoking : Cigarette smoking is a known cause of dry eyes • Long term use of contact lens • Rheumatoid Arthritis • Hormonal changes – Menopause o Post menopausal women have a greater tendency to develop dryness of eyes. • Use of medications such as anti-allergy medications, birth control pills, antihypertensive drugs, antidepressants • Excessive computer use • Environment – Heat, Cold, Pollution • Direct blow of fan or air conditioner should be avoided by patients who have dry eyes
• Gritty sensation – Foreign body feel • Itching (Indicating Allergy) • Burning - Discomfort • Fluctuating vision
• Your doctor will examine you and perform few specialized tests to diagnose whether or not you have dry eyes. Following tests maybe performed to test the quantity & quality of your tear film. o Schirmer’s Test: o Measure the quantity of tear production by calibrated filter paper over 5 minutes. o Tear Break up Time : TFBUT : o Strip of fluoresceine touched in lower fornix & removed. o Time elapsed between last blink & appearance of first break in the tear film recorded. o Less than 10 seconds indicative of dry eye Conjuctival Impression Cytology All these are non-invasive, simple clinical tests and do not require any interventional procedure How is Dry Eye Treated? Treatment of dry eyes is now simple. Contact your doctor if you have any of the above symptoms of dry eyes. Treatment is usually in form of eyedrops • Symptoms can be relieved & further deteriotion prevented. • Artificial tear drops ,Gel & ointments for very long period to lubricate the eyes. • Punctal occulusion: Special inserts to block ducts preventing tears from draining away & keep eyes moist. • Specific Therapy – Cyclosporine eye drops increase natural tear production, but it has to be continued for very long time & initially gives burning, stinging sensation. • Use protective glasses-goggles outdoor. Contact our DRY EYE CLINIC to get a dry eye evaluation and treatment.
