Dry eyes are a serious and growing concern for millions of individuals. The eye must be bathed in a continuous flow of a tear film that consists of several components. A healthy tear film contains lipids, aqueous, and mucin. The outer lipid layer prevents evaporation, keeping the inner layers intact. The aqueous component is a mixture of proteins, mucin and electrolytes. The mucin provides viscosity; enhancing the stability of the tear film. The mucin is in its highest concentration the deeper into the tear film one goes.
So many people suffer from this syndrome without knowing that it is an actual disease. While there are those who notice the symptoms but neglect it or use self-medications that can result in greater damage, it is a progressive disease. Without treatment or proper medication, it can worsen over time. This disease is a condition in which there are insufficient tears in the eyes to nourish, sustain and help lubricate them. Patients with dry eye have a very poor quality of tears or they do not even have enough to sustain the eyes.
How do I know if I may have this syndrome?
If you have any of the following symptoms in any of your eyes:
- Gritty eyes
- Irritation
- Burning
- Stinging
- Tiredness, eye fatigue
- Itchy eyes
- Pain and redness
- Heavy eyelids
- Episodes of blurry vision
- Or the inability to cry when stressed emotionally
A new development in the dry eye treatment UK is better care of the eye lids. It has now been confirmed that lid inflammation, Blepharitis, reduces tear production and quality. As such, improving this important area has emerged as a focal point of treatment. Blepharitis is inflammation of your eyelids; it can make your eyelids red and puffy and your eyelashes crusty, and make your eyes feel itchy or sore. In severe cases, your lashes may fall out, and you can develop small ulcers or styles as well. It normally affects both eyes. Blepharitis eye mask is a reusable hot compress mask used to relieve symptoms of Blepharitis, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, and Dry Eye Syndrome.
In dry eyes, there tends to be a lower concentration of proteins in many cases. The water soluble part of the mucin also tends to be in much lower concentrations as well. These deficiencies tend to promote inflammation, and degrade the stability of the eye. Electrolytes tend to increase in volume as well, which furthers the dry eye problem. Since dry eye symptoms can be varied, the condition is often under diagnosed.
Diagnosis based on symptoms includes discomfort, dry, sandy feelings, burning, light sensitivity, and blurry vision. Important testing to confirm the disorder includes evaluation of the tear film and cornea with Lissamine green and Rose bengel, Fluorescein staining, Schirmer tests, tear meniscus and Corneal staining. The process is simple. Irritation triggers inflammation which is followed by tear deficiency and instability.
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