7 Causes of Dry Eyes, and How to Overcome It
In order to work properly, the eyes depend on the flow of
tears to provide constant humidity and lubricant to maintain vision and
comfort. Tears are a combination of water, as a moisturizing agent; oil,
lubricating agent; mucus; to even distribution; and special antibodies and
proteins, as infection resistance. All of these components are released from
special glands around the eyes.
Symptoms of dry eyes.
1. Pain
2. Sensitivity to light
3. Sensation of tightness or sandiness in the eyes
4. Heat, sting, or itching in the eyes
5. Like there is something that is in the eye
6. Redness
7. Blurred vision
8. Eyes tired and runny
9. Mucus in or around the eyes
If left untreated,
this condition will cause inflammation, pain, boils, or scars on the cornea. In
certain cases, dry eyes cause partial vision loss. However, total vision loss
as a result of dry eyes is very rare.
Dry eyes may trigger "fake" tears
Dry eye sufferers will experience the production of excess
tears that fall down on the cheeks. This happens when the eyes do not get
enough lubrication so that the eye sends an emergency signal through the
nervous system to ask for more lubricant. The nervous system of the eye then
responds to this emergency request by flooding the eyes with tears to try to
compensate for the drought suffered. However, these emergency tears are made
only of water and do not have the quality of lubrication or the composition of
normal tears. These fake tears can rinse away dirt, but will not coat the eyes
properly.
Dry eyes can make it more difficult to carry out several
activities, such as using a computer or reading for a period of time, and can
reduce eye tolerance for dry environments, such as air in an airplane.
What causes dry eyes?
There are various reasons why you can experience dry eyes,
although one exact cause may not be found. Some possible causes, including:
1. Hormonal changes
Hormones stimulate the production of tears. Hormone changes
commonly experienced by women can increase their risk of dry eyes. For example:
during pregnancy, menopause, or using birth control pills.
2. The aging process
Dry eyes are more often experienced by elderly people. This
may be due to tear production which decreases with age, and the eyelids become
less sensitive to flatten tears throughout the eye surface.
Some diseases can affect the ability of the eye glands to
produce tears, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma,
Sjogren's syndrome, thyroid disorders, vitamin A deficiency, Bell's palsy,
allergies, contact dermatitis, HIV.
Many people who experience dry eyes also have blepharitis or
meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). MGD is an inflammation of the eyelid
boundary that can block the tear glands to produce oil for the tear layer.
Blepharitis can be experienced by anyone, and is generally caused by bacterial
infections or other conditions, such as rosacea
4. Medicine
Dry eye can be a side effect of consuming certain drugs,
such as antihistamines, decongestants, hormone replacement therapy,
antidepressants, hypertension drugs, acne-taking drugs, oral contraceptives,
Parkinson's drugs, beta blockers, and diuretics.
5. Environment and activity
Environmental factors are not the main cause, but rather
factors that can aggravate dry eye conditions. For example: dust, smoke, wind,
sun, dry weather, hot wind blowing, are in a high place.
In addition, when you are reading, working in front of a
computer screen, writing, or activities that require other visual
concentrations, the eyes tend to blink less frequently. That is, the tear layer
will evaporate faster than the refill process.
6. Cosmetics
Some people who have had LASIK eye surgery report
experiencing dry eyes a few weeks after surgery. Symptoms usually go away on
their own after a few months, but in some cases it can go on.
Contact lenses can also irritate the eyes and cause dry
eyes.
7. Problems with the eyelid structure
Ectropy (reversing the inner eyelid to the outside) and
entropy (inside the outer eyelid) can cause the meta to become dry and
irritated due to the layer of tears that evaporates quickly after continuous
contact with outside air.
Dry eyes can also occur due to keratitis, a condition in
which the eyelids do not close completely during sleep.
How to treat dry eyes?
Treatment for dry eyes only helps to control symptoms, but
there is no cure. Some people may have recurrent dry eye symptoms throughout
their lives.
You should discuss treatment options with an eye care
specialist. Treatment for dry eyes may include:
1. Artificial tears.
Cases of mild to moderate dry eyes can
usually be treated with eye care lubricants, such as artificial tear drops,
gels, and ointments. Even so, artificial tears are the main therapy for
complaints of dry eyes because their viscosity is very similar to natural
tears. Artificial tears are sold freely on the market without having to use
recipes. Many types of tear drops and one brand may not be suitable for you.
It's good to experiment to find which drops are the most effective for you. If
you have chronic dry eyes, it is recommended to use artificial tears even when
you feel there is no problem. Avoid artificial tears with preservatives if you
need to apply it more than four times a day or treated with chemicals that
cause blood vessels to constrict.
2. Eye drops.
Some eye drops contain preservatives to
prevent harmful bacteria from growing in the medicine bottle. If your symptoms
require you to use eye drops more than six times a day, you should use
preservative-free eye drops. This is especially important if the doctor has
told you that you have severe dry eye symptoms. Preservatives used in large
quantities or for long periods of time (months or years) can damage fine cells
on the surface of the eye or cause inflammation. If you use soft contact
lenses, you may also need to use preservative-free lubricants, because
preservative residues will stick to contact lenses and damage the eyes.
3. Wear glasses.
Choose reading glasses or sunglasses that
fit near the face or that have a side shield to help slow the evaporation of tears
from the surface of the eye. In the room, air purifiers to filter out dust and
other particles can help prevent dry eyes. Humidifiers can also help add
moisture to the air. If you wear contact lenses, change the lens type or limit
how often you use it, it will usually help relieve dry eye symptoms. In
addition, you can try replacing a lens cleaning solution or preservative-free
drops.
Make sure your eyes get enough rest
when doing activities that require you to use your eyes for a long time. Apply
eye drops when doing this routine.
5. Drink water and get enough nutrition.
Drinking plenty of
water will help keep your mucous membranes moist. Try to eat more foods that
are rich in omega-3 fats - flaxseed, walnuts, and fatty fish such as salmon and
cod.
Try to blink more often when you read, write, drive, or work in front of the monitor to spread tears evenly to the entire surface of the eye. Also, avoid rubbing your eyes too hard, which can worsen your symptoms.
