Monday, April 20, 2015

DES: What's Next?



You feel fire in your eyes, a massive burn. You can’t keep your hands to yourself; all you want to do is itch. Your contacts or glasses can’t help you because your vision is blurred. The glare from the sun is painful; and you ask yourself, “What could this be?” The answer is Dry Eye Syndrome (DES), and it is a disease. DES can be because your eyes stop producing enough tears (composed of oil, water, and mucus) to lubricate and nourish the front surface of your eyes or the tears evaporate too quickly.  Certain autoimmune conditions, medications, and hormones can compromise the tear film.  DES also occurs with advancing age, and is much more common in women than men.  Environment, long term use of contact lenses, and LASIK can cause decreased tear production and dry eye. 

Artificial tears are one of the best ways to treat DES.  If you dislike putting drops in your eyes, there are home remedies to improve your condition. For example, remember to always blink your eyes when reading or staring at a computer screen.  Nutritional supplements containing essential fatty acids (Omega-3s) may help decrease dry eye symptoms.  Increasing the level of humidity in the air at work and at home can also be beneficial. Dry Eye Syndrome can be very uncomfortable, so please see an Optometrist for further evaluation and treatment, because nobody deserves to suffer from DES.

http://c2-preview.prosites.com/126055/wy/images/dry%20eye.gif

No comments:

Post a Comment