Is dry eye syndrome caused by dry eyes?
2024-08-07
In daily life, many people have experienced dryness, pain, burning sensation, and foreign body sensation in their eyes, which may be caused by dry eye syndrome. What factors are associated with the occurrence of dry eye syndrome? How to treat dry eye syndrome? Now, let's learn about these issues together. What factors are related to dry eye syndrome? Dry eye syndrome is caused by eye surface damage and discomfort symptoms due to an imbalance in tear film homeostasis. The cornea is located at the forefront of the eyeball and has a layer of tear film on its surface, which plays a role in moistening, locking in moisture, and protecting the surface of the eyeball. When the tear film cannot stably stay on the ocular surface, the unprotected ocular cells will be damaged, causing symptoms such as dryness, pain, foreign body sensation, burning sensation, redness, itching, blurred vision, etc., which is commonly known as dry eye syndrome. Dry eye syndrome has become an eye disease that affects the entire population and age cycle, and its occurrence is related to multiple factors. One is the impact of unhealthy lifestyle habits. Under normal circumstances, people can blink 10-20 times per minute. During blinking, tears are evenly applied to the cornea and conjunctiva, providing moisture, lubrication, and care for the ocular surface. When using electronic devices, people only blink 4-6 times per minute, losing the opportunity to "hydrate" their eyes through blinking, which can eventually lead to dry eye syndrome. In addition, people who wear contact lenses for a long time, lack vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids in their bodies, and have insufficient sleep have a higher incidence of dry eye syndrome. The second is the influence of physiological factors, such as the degeneration of tear gland and meibomian gland functions. The lacrimal gland is an organ that secretes tears. As age increases, the lacrimal gland gradually shrinks and tear production decreases. The meibomian gland is located between the upper and lower meibomian plates, and its function is to secrete eyelid fat. Eyelid fat is like a layer of "oil" covering the outermost layer of the tear film, preventing tears from evaporating too quickly. The function of the lacrimal gland and meibomian gland in elderly people deteriorates, leading to reduced tear secretion and excessive evaporation, making them prone to dry eye syndrome. The third is the impact of diseases and eye surgery. Eye diseases such as blepharitis and keratoconjunctivitis, as well as systemic diseases such as diabetes and rheumatism, may lead to dry eye. In addition, cataract surgery, refractive surgery, eye plastic surgery, etc. can also have an impact on eye surface health, leading to dry eye syndrome. The fourth factor is the impact of environmental factors, including dry air, environmental pollution, and strong winds. In summer, every household uses air conditioning to cool down. It should be noted that prolonged exposure to air-conditioned rooms is also an environmental factor that can cause dry eye syndrome. How to treat dry eye syndrome? Since dry eye syndrome is related to a lack of tears, can we purchase eye drops ourselves to "hydrate" our eyes? In fact, dry eye syndrome is not just a problem of "eye dehydration". According to different causes, dry eye syndrome can be divided into five types: watery deficiency, mucin deficiency, lipid deficiency, abnormal tear dynamics (distribution), and mixed type. Buying eye drops at a pharmacy on your own may result in medication that is not targeted, which can worsen eye discomfort and prolong the condition. At present, there are many drugs used in clinical practice to treat dry eye syndrome, such as those that have moisturizing and lubricating effects, promote eye repair, and anti-inflammatory properties. If you suspect that you have dry eye syndrome, the correct approach is to seek medical attention promptly. After completing relevant examinations, the doctor will prescribe medication according to your condition. Dry eye syndrome can be classified into mild, moderate, and severe according to its severity. Among them, mild symptoms may include dryness, itching, and visual fatigue in the eyes, moderate symptoms may also be accompanied by foreign body sensation, pain, and blurred vision in the eyes, and severe symptoms refer to organic damage to the eyes that generally requires long-term medication treatment. The treatment of dry eye syndrome is divided into drug therapy and non drug therapy. In terms of non pharmacological treatment, methods such as nebulization fumigation, meibomian gland massage, intense pulsed light therapy, eyelid thermal pulsation therapy, and deep eyelid cleaning can effectively alleviate dry eye symptoms. For patients with severe dry eye syndrome who have failed conservative treatment, surgical intervention may also be considered. Dry eye syndrome cannot heal on its own. If timely and effective intervention measures are not taken, the condition will gradually worsen, and in severe cases, it can even cause the shedding of ocular surface cells, which has irreversible effects on vision. Therefore, once you experience dryness, pain, foreign body sensation, burning sensation, unclear vision, etc. in your eyes, please go to a regular ophthalmology hospital for examination in a timely manner, and choose appropriate medication or physical therapy under the guidance of a doctor to achieve satisfactory treatment results. (New Society)
Edit：HAN ZHUOLING Responsible editor：CAICAI
Source：gmw.cn
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