Dry Eye

Name: Family Eye Care of O'Fallon
Price range: $$

Dry eye quick facts

Dry eye is common, nearly 16 million Americans have dry eye
Dry eye has a long list of risk factors and symptoms
Dry eye can happen if you spend a lot of time looking at your computer, tablet, or smart phone
If severe dry eye isn’t treated, it can sometimes damage your cornea, the clear outer layer at the front of your eye

What is a dry eye?

Dry eye is a condition in which a person doesn’t have enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. This is caused by,

A decrease in tear creation
An increase in tear evaporation
Your tears just don’t work well enough to keep your eyes wet

An adequate and consistent layer of tears on the surface of the eye is essential to keep your eyes healthy, comfortable, and seeing well.

Tears bathe the eye’s surface to keep it moist and wash away dust, debris and microorganisms. If not treated, dry eye can cause lasting damage to the corneal surface and declining vision.

Dry eye is also referred to as dry eye syndrome (DES), dry eye disease (DED), or by medical terms keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), and keratitis sicca.

Who is at risk for dry eye?

Dry eye is common, affecting 16 million Americans every year, and becoming even more common as society relies more and more on close-up screens – computers, tablets and phones.

Dry eye can affect anyone and develop for many reasons including:

Screen Time. Today, excessive usage of close-up electronic screens is causing people of all ages to experience dry eye symptoms.

It is a significantly increasing symptom in children.

One study found that 66% of eye doctors say they are seeing screen-related eye problems, and 88% of doctors blame smartphone use for the rise in dry eye disease.

This occurs from the blue light emitted from the devices, as well as, a decrease in natural blink reflex. This blue light has been linked too other potentially damaging eye conditions as well.

Diet. People who don’t get enough vitamin A (found in foods like carrots, broccoli, and liver) or omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, walnuts, and vegetable oils).
Contact Lenses. People who wear contact lenses are more likely to experience dry eye, especially those who have long term usage.
Smoking. In addition to dry eyes, smoking has been linked to serious eye problems, including macular degeneration, cataracts, and uveitis.
Surgery. Refractive eye surgeries such as LASIK can decrease tear production and contribute to dry eyes.
Medications. Certain medicines, including antihistamines, decongestants, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants, can reduce tear production.
Medical conditions. People with chronic allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, certain autoimmune conditions, and thyroid problems are more likely to have symptoms of dry eyes.

Also, problems with inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis), inflammation of the surfaces of the eye, or the inward or outward turning of eyelids can cause dry eyes to develop.

Outdoor environmental conditions. Exposure to smoke, wind and dry climates can increase tear evaporation resulting in dry eye symptoms.
Indoor environmental conditions. Air conditioning, ceiling fans and forced air heating systems can all decrease indoor humidity. This can hasten tear evaporation, causing dry eye symptoms.
Air travel. The air in the cabins of airplanes is extremely dry and can lead to dry eye problems, especially among frequent flyers.
Age. Dry eyes are a part of the natural aging process. Historically, people over the age of 50 begin to notice the effects of dry eyes, and the majority of people over age 65 experience some symptoms of dry eyes.
Gender. Women are more likely to develop dry eyes, particularly those who are pregnant, on hormone replacement therapy, or going through menopause.

With so many risk factors covering a broad range of the US population, dry eye is a common and often chronic problem. Left untreated, advanced dry eyes may damage the front surface of the eye and impair vision.

How is dry eye detected?

Dry eye can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam. Testing with emphasis on the evaluation of the quantity and quality of tears produced by the eyes may include:

Patient history to determine the patient’s symptoms and to note any general health problems, medications or environmental factors that may be contributing to the dry eye problem.
External examination of the eye, including lid structure and blink dynamics.
Evaluation of the eyelids and cornea using bright light and magnification.
Measurement of the quantity and quality of tears for any abnormalities. Special dyes may be put in the eyes to better observe tear flow and to highlight any changes to the outer surface of the eye caused by insufficient tears.

With the information obtained from testing, your Family Eye Care doctor can determine if you have dry eyes and advise you on treatment options.

How is dry eye treated?

Although dry eye is a chronic and typically progressive condition, in most cases it can be managed successfully. Your Family Eye Care doctor can prescribe treatment to keep your eyes healthy and comfortable, and to prevent your vision from being affected.

Treatment for dry eyes aims to restore or maintain the normal amount of tears in the eye and typicallyresults in greater comfort, fewer dry eye symptoms and sometimes sharper vision.

The primary approaches used to manage and treat dry eyes include,

OTC eye drops. Mild cases of dry eyes can often be managed using over-the-counter (OTC) artificial tear solutions.

These can be used as often as needed to supplement natural tear production.

Preservative-free artificial tear solutions are recommended because they contain fewer additives, which can further irritate the eyes.

The challenge with using artificial tears is not lack of product availability – it’s the confusing number of brands and formulations available to choose from.

Artificial tears and other over-the-counter (OTC) lubricating eye drops are available in a wide variety of ingredients and viscosity (“thickness”). Your Family Eye Care doctor will help you determine which type & combination is right for your condition.

People with dry eyes that don’t respond to artificial tears alone will need to take additional steps to treat their dry eyes.

Steroid eye drops. Over the past several years, inflammation has been recognized as a significant cause of dry eyes. Inflammation frequently causes the redness and burning associated with dry eye.

Artificial tears usually do not adequately address these inflammatory changes, and your Family Eye Care doctor may recommend steroid eye drops to better manage the underlying inflammation associated with dry eyes.

Steroid eye drops generally are used short-term to quickly manage symptoms. They often are used in conjunction with artificial tears and Restasis or Xiidra, as a complement to these more long-term dry eye treatment strategies.

Prescription medicines. If your dry eye is more serious, your Family Eye Care doctor may give you a prescription for medicines including Restasis (cyclosporine) or Xiidra (lifitegrast). These medicines are types of eye drops that reduce inflammation and help your eyes to make more natural tears.
Punctal plug. Keeping natural tears in the eyes longer can reduce the symptoms of dry eyes.

This can be done by blocking the tear ducts through which the tears normally drain. The tear ducts can be blocked with tiny silicone or gel-like plugs that can be removed if needed.

As an alternative, a surgical procedure can permanently close the tear ducts.

After these openings have been plugged, tears can no longer drain away from the eye through the ducts and keeping the available tears in the eye longer.

Nutritional supplements. Your Family Eye Care doctor may also recommend taking additional nutritional supplements as part of a holistic dry eye treatment plan.

There are many recent studies that have found omega-3 fatty acids can help with dry eyes. Good sources of omega-3s include high-quality supplements, cold-water fish (Cod, Salmon, Sardines, and Herring), and flaxseed oil.

And let’s not forget water, as simple as it is. In today’s world, water is often overlooked as a necessary hydrant. Mild dehydration often aggravates dry eye problems.

Lifestyle changes. If something in your life or your environment is causing your dry eye, or making it worse, your Family Eye Care doctor may suggest changes to help protect your eyes.

For example, if a medicine you take for another health condition is causing dry eye, your doctor may also suggest that you try a different medicine.

Your eyes may also feel better if you:

- Wear sunglasses while outdoors
- Use a humidifier to keep the air in your home from getting too dry
- Limit screen time and take breaks from staring at screens
- Wear wraparound sunglasses when you’re outside
- Drink plenty of water — try for 8 to 10 glasses every day
- Get enough sleep — about 7 to 8 hours a night

Other. Your Family Eye Care doctor might also recommend prescription ointments, warm compresses and lid massage, or eyelid cleaners to help decrease inflammation around the surface of the eyes.

Dry eye complications

People who have dry eyes may experience these complications:

Eye infections.Your tears protect the surface of your eyes from infection. Without adequate tears, you may have an increased risk of eye infection.
Damage to the surface of your eyes.If left untreated, severe dry eyes may lead to eye inflammation, abrasion of the corneal surface, corneal ulcers and vision loss.
Decreased quality of life.Dry eyes can make it difficult to perform everyday activities, such as reading.