Dry Eye

It could all be caused by dry eyes.

Dry-feeling eyes is a significantly growing health problem worldwide. In medical terms it is referred to as dry eye disease (DED).¹
Dry eye disease has been diagnosed in about 16.4 million adults in the United States alone, with 6 million more experiencing DED symptoms without a formal diagnosis.
This is a total of more than 22 million individuals suffering from dry eye disease* in the US.¹

Dry eye happens when your eyes do not make enough tears to stay lubricated, or when your tears do not work correctly.
This may make your eyes feel uncomfortable and it may even cause vision problems.²

Dry eye may result in the following symptoms:

• a scratchy or gritty feeling
• stinging or burning feeling in your eye
• red eyes
• light sensitivity, or
• blurry vision.²

In short, everyone may be affected by dry eye disease, ranging from young individuals to the elderly.¹

Let us break it down into individuals that may be more prone to dry eye disease
due to non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors: ^1,3

• Women (especially over the age of 50 years)
• Older individuals
• Asian race
• Meibomian gland dysfunction: when the meibomian glands
  do not secrete enough oils into the tears
• Connective tissue diseases e.g. rheumatoid arthritis

• Computer use
• Contact lens wear
• Hormone replacement therapy
• The environment: pollution, low humidity and sick building syndrome
• Medications: e.g. antihistamines, antidepressants, anxiolytics and isotretoin.

The economic burden and impact of DED on vision, quality of life, work productivity,
and the psychological and physical impact of pain are considerable, reduced work
productivity.³
DED has a marked negative impact on the physical and psychosomatic well-being of individuals due to:

• Discomfort
• Pain
• Altered visual acuity
• Preventing them from carrying out basic activities of daily living e.g. reading, watching television, driving, and working.¹

Symptom severity correlates positively with patient-reported depression,
anxiety, and stress scores.¹

Treatment for dry eye would depend on the cause of the symptoms.
There are different types of treatments that can ease your symptoms
and help keep your eyes healthy, including:

• Over-the-counter eye applications: the most common treatments for dry eye are types of eye applications that would lubricate the eye and are available in drops, gels and even mists. Be sure to consult your healthcare provider about the best application for you, and avoid drops containing benzalkonium chloride (BAK).^2,4
• Lifestyle changes: if something in your life or your environment is causing your
  dry eye, or making it worse, your doctor may suggest changes to help protect
  your eyes e.g.:
• Changing certain medications
• Limiting screen time and taking breaks from staring at screens
• Trying to avoid smoke, wind, and air conditioning
• Drinking plenty of water, 8-10 glasses per day
• Getting enough sleep, 7-8 hours per night.²
• Prescription medicines: if your dry eye is more serious, your eye doctor may
  give you a prescription for specific eye drops.²