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How Not To Let Your Eyes Run Dry? Explains Dr Saurabh Choudhry
Dry Eye Disease: How Are They More Likely To Suffer Injuries To Corneas?
Dry eye is a condition where the ducts within the eyelids that produce tears, dry up. Tears are very essential for the proper functioning of the eyes, because they provide lubrication for the eyelids to glide over the eye ball and help to keep it moist. This condition can lead to lower resolution of vision and in some cases can cause severe damage to the eye ball itself, not to mention the added risks of performing daily activities with bad eyesight.
If you have dry eyes, your body is telling you that you are pushing it beyond its limits, and it is a common indicator for lifestyle diseases. Dr Rohit Shetty, neuro-ophthalmologist and the Vice chairman of Narayana Netralaya says ‘something as simple as a change in posture while working on a computer for long hours could be the reason for dry eyes.’ He warns, that they are an early indicator for hyper or hypothyroidism. If you are suffering from dry eyes, getting a routine health check up might be the best thing to do.
The most common reason is our work or work culture. This means spending long hours in the day in front of the computer, without any breaks. According to Dr Rohit Shetty, ‘eyes were not really meant to see pixilated images, so a constant exposure to them can harm your eyes’. Another factor is your all-round health, if you are diabetic, hypertensive, or are on antipsychotic drugs, the possibility of suffering from dry eyes increases. Apart from this other habits like smoking, drinking, not having adequate sleep could make the symptoms of dry eyes worse.
Dr Shetty says,'the problem of dry eyes is very common and unique to our population, it is estimated that 25% of our population suffers from dry eyes’.
Common symptoms of dry eyes are -
Narayana Netralaya, is known to be a pioneer in the world of vision, Dr Rohit Shetty along with associate doctors, have set up a whole unit within the hospital to treat and diagnose dry eyes. Here are some of the advanced techniques in diagnosing dry eyes:
1. Speed Questionnaire: This is an informal technique, where the doctor will ask you to fill out a questionnaire, so that he/she can understand your general level of discomfort.
2. Slit lamp evaluation: This is done on an outpatient basis by an ophthalmologist. A brief examination of the eye under magnification is done to determine the status of the eye and have an initial idea about the type, cause and severity of dry eye. If the doctor determines that there is a problem, he/she may prescribe further tests.
3. Lipiview ocular surface interferometer: Lipiview is an innovative device which measures the quality and amount of lipids in your tears. Dr Shetty says that an abnormal amount of lipid in the tears is responsible for a majority of dry eye symptoms. On analysis, tears with a good amount of lipids will appear as interferometric colours on the Lipview system, whereas tears with a low amount of lipids will appear white or colourless.
4. Meibography: This test is designed to shows the morphological changes in the meibomian glands( glands present on the inner surface of the eye, they produce an oily substance that prevents the quick drying of tears) . Normal meibomian glands appear parallel, vertical and straight. Normally there are about 15 to 20 glands in each lid. If you have any deformity of this gland, you are likely to suffer from dry eyes.
5. Tear film break up time (TBUT): To perform this test your opthamologist will first instill fluorescein dye into your eye. You will then be asked to blink once and keep the eyes open. The dye will mildly colour your tear film on the eye. With this the doctor will measure how much time it takes for your tears to dry up. A time lesser than six seconds is considered abnormal.
6. Schirmer’s test: As a first step your doctor will place a Schirmer strip on your lower eyelid. A Schirmer strip is 5 mm wide and 35 mm long strip of filter paper that is calibrated to measure the amount of moisture in a person’s eyes . The strip is placed in such a manner that it does not touch the inner eye or the cornea. At the end of 5 minutes the doctor will measure the amount of moisture in your eyes.
7. Meibomian gland evaluation: Performed with the help of a meibomian gland evaluator (a hand-held tool used for evaluating meibomian gland secretions). It is designed to deliver consistent gentle pressure, through the eyelid, to meibomian glands, to mimic the forces of a deliberate blink and to express meibomian secretions. The evaluator is placed onto the outer lid skin immediately below the lash line. It is then pressed gently so as to invert the eyelid allowing a proper evaluation of the mybomian glands. Your doctor will evaluate the health of the glands along with the number to estimate the exact cause of the problem.
If you are diagnosed with dry eyes, your opthamologist will decide on what type of treatment you might need to better the condition. Depending on the severity of the condition, you will be given a choice between medical management techniques and surgical procedures. Here are a few remedies your doctor may prescribe:
Medical management:
1. Artificial tear substitutes: Your doctor will prescribe these drops in order to relieve your eyes of strain and help in better production of tears. Ideally you should use the drops regularly. In cases you have severe dry eyes you could use the drops once every hour. You could use the drops 4-6 times a day in moderate cases. Make sure you buy preservative free drops as they are known to cause toxicity within the eyes.
2. Anti-inflammatory agents: Since artificial tears do not stop inflammation caused within the eye due to dry eyes, your doctor will prescribe you some anti inflammatory drops to reduce the swelling in the eye.
Surgical management:
Tips to prevent dry eyes:
Dry Eye Disease: How Are They More Likely To Suffer Injuries To Corneas?
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Dry Eye Disease: How Are They More Likely To Suffer Injuries To Corneas?
A thing about eye-strain headaches is that it goes away once you rest up for some time. It doesn't mean that your eye is injured or damaged. It could just mean that your eye muscles have been strained
Adopt a 20-20 minute policy which means that after every 20 minutes of screen work, take a 20 seconds break from the screen, says expert
A new study has found that being depressed can lead to eye problems such as severe dry eyes. Know the difference between being sad or depressed to reduce that risk.
Instead of having to use eye drops or other alternative treatments, a study suggests that remaining physically active can be an effective preventative measure against dry eye symptoms.
Do you sleep with the heater on in your room during the winter season? Here's why you need to be careful with heaters as they can be extremely harmful to your eyes.
If you're also suffering from eye strain, we some expert-suggested exercises to relieve the discomfort and strengthen your eye muscles.
Dry eyes may occur because of many reasons but it can be extremely uncomfortable and irritating. But you can handle it with a few preventive measures.
Dry eyes? Do not ignore, it could be a sign of thyroid disorder and meibomian gland dysfunction.
A recent medical study has revealed that dry eyes condition in humans can significantly reduce the rate of reading. Also, it may cause disturbance in daily tasks that need visual concentration for long periods. Notably, the chronic dry eye is a common disease in which natural tears fail to adequately lubricate the eyes, thus drastically affecting its functioning.
World Sight Day is observed on October 11. These are simple tips to remind you to give your eyes a break! Follow these tips and make sure your kids follow them too to ensure good eye health.
A new study on kids has revealed that more than 2 hours of screen time every day can poorly impact kids' cognition. That's one more reason to keep kids away from the screens!
The research shows that the blue pill could even repair the damage that's already been done and it may stop further loss of vision for patients being robbed of their sight.
The unwanted dryness around your eyes can be painful and embarrassing. But don't fret, as you can get rid of it by just following these DIY tips. What are you waiting for? Just get started.
Yoga can help you to deal with the bags under your eyes.
If you want to prevent dry eyes, you will have to cut down on using your smartphone or any other visual display unit, say doctors. Here are tips to help you manage the condition.
This is why the over-thinking and excessive stress can cost you your vision!
Early intervention helps to treat effectively and help regain vision.
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