By Dr Uma Malliah
What are the symptoms of dry eyes and when to go to a doctor?
Dry eye occurs when your eyes do not produce enough tears to keep your eyes moist or when there is a lack of a natural oil component in your tears due to blocked (meibomian) glands in your eyelid. It can also happen as a result of improper eyelid positioning against the eyes or incomplete eyelid closure. Here are a few symptoms of dry eyes:
- Following at-home treatment, symptoms persist or worsen (e.g., warm compress, humidifier, artificial tears, reading glasses, reducing screen time)
- Burning, stinging, scratching, or watery eyes, particularly in windy weather
- Fluctuating vision, particularly when using a computer or digital device, even after purchasing a high-quality pair of glasses
- Prescription eye drops, such as Restasis, provide little relief.
- Difficulty in carrying out daily tasks
If you have experienced prolonged signs and symptoms of dry eyes, such as red, irritated, tired or painful eyes, consult your healthcare provider. To find out what’s bothering your eyes, your doctor may take action or suggest a specialist.
Does long screen time accelerate or worsen dry eyes?
The fact that tears are evaporating too quickly is one of the reasons why your eyes may feel dry. This is brought on by the tears’ insufficient lipid layer. To stop natural evaporation, the lipid layer functions as an oily barrier. Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), which causes evaporative dry eye, is a condition in which glands in your eyelids are unable to produce this lipid layer (EDE).
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The amount of time we spend in front of a computer or other digital screen can affect how quickly our tears dry up. Our eyes begin to feel dry when tears evaporate too quickly. When compared to other daily activities, using a computer causes us to blink 66% less, which is the primary cause of increased evaporation. But if you stare at digital screens, you can protect your eyes by simply blinking more.
Do hydrating drops suffice?
We advise using over-the-counter eye drops to ease discomfort from a few mild to moderate symptoms of dry eye, including:
- An itchy or scratchy feeling in the eye
- Slight burning or stinging.
- Artificial tears, however, might not be sufficient to treat other symptoms, such as:
- Skin rashes close to the eye
- Increased light sensitivity
- Distorted vision
If any of the aforementioned symptoms significantly affect your life, you may prefer to treat the underlying cause of your dry eyes rather than relying solely on eye drops for comfort.
Why do we get dry eyes?
There are numerous factors that disrupt the normal tear film and result in dry eyes. Fatty oils, aqueous fluid and mucus are the three layers that make up your tear film. This mixture typically maintains the lubricated, smooth and clear surface of your eyes. Dry eyes can be a result of issues with any of these layers.
There are many causes of tear film dysfunction, including hormonal changes, autoimmune disorders, inflamed glands in the eyelids, and allergic eye conditions. Reduced tear production or increased tear evaporation may be the cause of dry eyes in some people.
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How can we prevent onset of dry eyes?
If you have dry eyes, be aware of the circumstances that are most likely to make them worse. Then, figure out how to stay away from those circumstances to stop the symptoms of dry eyes. For example:
- Avert getting air in your eyes. Avoid shining fans, air conditioners, car heaters, or hair dryers directly into your eyes
- Increase the air’s humidity. A humidifier can add moisture to the dry indoor air during the winter
- Think about donning a pair of wraparound sunglasses or other safety eyewear. To protect against wind and dry air, safety shields can be added to the tops and sides of eyewear. Inquire about shields at the eyewear store
- During prolonged tasks, take eye breaks. Take regular eye breaks if you are reading or working on something else that requires visual focus. Spend some time with your eyes closed. Alternately, blink several times for a few seconds to help your tears fall evenly across your eyes
- Be mindful of your surroundings. High altitudes, desert regions, and aircraft cabins can all have extremely dry air. To prevent tear evaporation while spending time in such an environment, it may be helpful to frequently close your eyes for a few minutes at a time.
- Place the screen of your computer below your eyes. You will open your eyes wider to view the computer screen if it is higher than eye level. To avoid widening your eyes, place your computer screen below eye level. This might prevent your tears from evaporating too quickly in between eye blinks.
- Avoid smoking and stop doing it. If you smoke, seek the advice of your doctor in developing a quit-smoking plan that has the best chance of success for you. If you don’t smoke, avoid being around smokers. Smoke can make symptoms of dry eyes worse.
Dr Uma Malliah is senior consultant, opthalmology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi
