The Major Problem In Today's Generation - Dry Eyes

Dry eyes have become a major problem in today's world. The 21st century has just embarked on a journey filled with growth and development in several sectors, but the latest technological advancements (fast-forwarded by the pandemic) are already transporting us into the future where human beings are connected to their smartphones, laptops, etc. as their limbs. In such global situations, it is important for us to simply sit back and relax once in a while. The advent of these technological upgrades has provided individuals in a society with a vast expanse of knowledge and resources, but it has also proved harmful for them in many ways.

Smartphones, for instance, are immensely distracting and have successfully made a negative impact on the average concentration of people across the world. Smartphones are also socially disruptive and excessive usage will not only waste your time but also provide you with several health-related issues. Constant exposure to both smartphones and laptops can raise body temperature, cause headaches, decrease your visual ability and shorten your attention span. On top of it all, smartphones cause dry eye disease. What is dry eye disease? How is it caused? How should one treat it? Keep reading to find out the answers to all of these questions and more.

What is Dry Eye?

Dry eye or dry eye disease is quite a common disease that occurs when the tears produced by our eyes fail to provide the necessary lubrication for our eyes. This can be caused due to several reasons which we shall discuss a bit later. Dry eyes can also be caused due to the inability of the eyes to produce tears or the production of poor-quality tears. This can often lead to inflammation and infection followed by acute damage to the eye's surface.

Dry eye syndrome or what is also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca occurs when our eyes do not have sufficient moisture in them. There are more than ten million cases of dry eyes in India and, thankfully, it is a treatable condition.

People with dry eye syndrome are not able to continue with their day-to-day activities without experiencing severe discomfort first. People having dry eyes syndrome often experience dry eyes on an airplane, in an air-conditioned room, while looking at their computer/laptop screen, or while riding a bike.

Symptoms Of Dry Eye

Symptoms of dry eyes include the following:

• stringy mucus in or around the eyes
• redness in the eyes
• burning sensation in eyes
• pain in eyes
• watery tearing
• blurry vision
• stinging or scratching sensation in eyes
• sensation of having something in your eyes
• difficulty wearing contact lenses
• eye fatigue
• difficulty reading or sitting in front of the computer for long periods
• heavy eyelids
• sensitivity to light

Causes of Dry Eye

There are many causes of dry eyes. These causes can disrupt the normal and healthy functioning of the eye. Our eyes have a healthy tear film consisting of three layers: fatty oils, aqueous fluid, and mucus. All the three layers together help with the sufficient lubrication, cleaning, and hygiene of the surface of the eye. When any kind of problem occurs in any of these layers, dry eyes can be caused. Tear film dysfunction can also occur due to hormone changes, autoimmune disease, inflamed eyelid glands, and allergic eye disease. Dry eyes can be caused due to decreased tear production or increased tear evaporation.

i) Decreased Tear Production

Decreased tear production occurs when the human eye fails to produce tears or enough water. A decrease in tear production is caused due to aging, other medical conditions such as Sjogren's syndrome, allergic eye disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, graft vs. host disease, sarcoidosis, vitamin A deficiency, and thyroid disorders.

Certain medications such as antidepressants, drugs for high blood pressure, antihistamines, decongestants, hormone replacement therapy, drugs for birth control, acne, and Parkinson's disease can cause decreased production of tears too. Decreased corneal nerve sensitivity caused by regular contact lens use, nerve damage, and laser eye surgery can also cause dry eyes. Dry eyes caused by the surgery are temporary.

ii) Increased Tear Evaporation

Meibomian glands present on the edge of our eyelids produce an oil film that can cause blockage in some people (especially people with skin disorders). Increased tear evaporation is caused due to meibomian gland dysfunction, eye allergies, preservatives in eye drops, wind, smoke, pollution, concentration on the computer or smartphone, or focusing while driving.

Treatment Of Dry Eyes

Dry eyes can harm your eyesight when untreated. Dry eyes treatment includes a lifestyle change and eyedrops to use for sufficient lubrication. Make sure you choose a highly-qualified and experienced doctor for the eye examination.

Eye inserts can also be prescribed to produce artificial tears. The latest treatment for dry eye syndrome includes tear-inducing drugs. Let us help you restore your vision for a better life. Feel free to contact us in case you have any further questions.