NOT A DRY EYE…
DRy eye SyNDROMe CaN CauSe paIN aND IRRITaTION IN paTIeNTS, BuT CaN Be eaSILy TReaTeD. HeRe IS THe LOWDOWN ON THIS COMMON MINOR aILMeNT...
I
t’s not known exactly how many people suffer from dry eye syndrome (also known as
keratoconjunctivitis sicca), but it is estimated that up to ten per cent of the general public are affected. perhaps unsurprisingly, it tends to affect older people more frequently, with thirteen per cent of sufferers in their 50s and as many as one in three sufferers over 70 years of age.
Many people affected by the condition find that irritation worsens throughout the day and peaks at night.
What causes dry eye syndrome? Well, tears have three layers – water, mucus and oil – which are designed to protect and nourish the front surface of the eye, and each layer has an individual role to play. The water layer hydrates the eye, the mucus layer spreads tears over the surface of
28 - pHaRMaCy IN FOCuS
the eyes evenly, and the oil layer prevents the water layer from evaporating. In order for tears to be produced, all three of these layers have to be producing at a great enough volume. If any of them under-produces, then the tear quality will drop and the patient will experience dry eye syndrome.
Other causes of dry eye syndrome In addition to under-production of tears, dry eye can also occur when the tear film fails to do its job effectively. This can be caused by: • Being in a hot or windy climate • Working or living in a smoky, dry environment
• excessive computer use. This occurs because people do not blink as often when looking at a computer screen
• Wearing contact lenses • Certain underlying medical conditions such as blepharitis
(inflammation of the eyelids), Sjogren’s syndrome, Sarcoid disease, diabetes, thyroid problems and sleep apnoea
• Hormonal changes in women during, for example, menopause (dry eye affects women more than men)
• Certain medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants and beta blockers
various studies have also indicated a connection between dry eyes and metabolic disorders.
Symptoms Fortunately, for most people, the symptoms of dry eye syndrome are mild, although more severe cases can be painful and can lead to complications. The itch, irritation and the gritty feelings are distracting, and the irritation can become so bad as the day goes on, that it can border on painful.
Other symptoms of dry eye can include: • a feeling of burning in the eyes • Redness of the eye • Temporary blurred vision which tends to improve with blinking
Night-time issues Some people complain of their dry eye syndrome symptoms worsening at night. This may be simply because the eyes are tired after a day’s activity and are naturally dried out, but there are other causes.
One reason may be how the body’s metabolism changes during the night. as a person gets ready for bed, their body temperature falls a little – by maybe one or two degrees. This causes the body’s functions to slow down and leads to a reduction in blood circulation. as a result, there are fewer nutrients reaching the eye, and therefore fewer tears being produced.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
