Chronic Dry Eye Disease and How it Can Affect You


Did you know that nearly 5 million Americans have Chronic Dry Eye disease?

Dryness, itching, burning, light sensitivity, watering, blurry vision, problems wearing contacts.  It may surprise you that if you're experiencing any of these symptoms, you may have Chronic Dry Eye (CDE) disease.






When you have Chronic Dry Eye disease, your eyes may not just feel dry--you may also experience other discomfort including pain.  Though symptoms vary from person to person, common dry eye symptoms include:
Dryness/Itching
  • Burning/Stinging
  • Watering Eyes
  • A gritty or sandy sensation
  • Feeling like something is in your eye
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Blurry vision or difficulty seeing at night
  • Problem wearing contact lenses
While experiencing symptoms of dry eye can be temporary for some, people with Chronic Dry Eye disease may find that their symptoms get worse over time and also limit daily activities that involve their eyes.


Recurring dry eye symptoms can limit your ability to perform the following activities:
  • Reading
  • Driving at night
  • Watching TV
  • Working on the computer
  • Wearing contact lenses

If you have any of the above mentioned symptoms or difficulty performing daily activities, then your next steps should be to:
  • SCHEDULE a medical exam with your Ophthalmologist to see if you may have Chronic Dry Eye.  Don't wait.
  • GO TO www.mydryeyes.com, TAKE the brief questionnaire to help your Doctor assess your condition- the Dry Eye Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI©)- and SHOW your results to your eye doctor.


Risk factors for Chronic Dry Eye include:

-Growing older.  Chronic Dry Eye disease is more common in people 50 years of age or older.  While Chronic Dry Eye is more common in women, it also occurs in men.

-Hormonal changes.  Chronic Dry Eye disease is associated with hormonal changes, which are very common among women who are experiencing menopause or who are postmenopausal

-Inflammation.  Chronic Dry Eye disease may involve inflammation:
  • Inflammation may affect the glands, which can decrease tear production
  • Inflammation can also impact the glands' ability to create and maintain the lipid layer, or the top layer, of the tear film.  The lipid layer slows tear evaporation.
-Other conditions.  Chronic Dry Eye may be associated with other eye or health conditions.  Some of these include:

  • Glaucoma
  • Diabetes
  • Lupus
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Sjogren's Syndrome

-External Conditions that can aggravate dry eye symptoms.  Certain external conditions can aggravate symptoms of Chronic Dry Eye.  These include:
  • Pollen & Allergies
  • Dry air or wind
  • Dust or smoke
  • Working on a computer
  • Wearing contact lenses



Healthy eyes are continuously covered by a tear film that consists of 3 layers:
Your tears are not just water.  They also contain nutrients, electrolytes, proteins, and lubricants.
 
1.)   The inner, or mucin layer, enables tears to "stick" to the eye.
 
2.)   The middle, or aqueous layer, provides the eye surface with oxygen and nutrients.
 
3.)   The outer, or lipid layer, which prevents the tear film from evaporating.
 
A stable tear film: 
  • Protects and lubricates eyes
  • Reduces the risk of eye infection
  • Washes away foreign particles
  • Keeps the surface of the eyes smooth and clear
What can happen if the tear film becomes unstable?
  • If your eyes don't create the right quality or quantity of tears, your tear film may become unstable.  This can cause dry areas and irritation on your eye, which may develop into Chronic Dry Eye disease.
 
 
Over time, Chronic Dry Eye disease may get worse and may have potential health consequences for your eyes, including:
  • Damage to the front surface of the eye
  • Increased risk of eye infection
  • Effects on your vision
Treatment options for Chronic Dry Eye are available.  If you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our Ophthalmologists, please call our office at:  803-794-0000.
Be prepared to provide the following information when seeing Dr. Bogart or Dr. Manno:
-Any dry eye symptoms you're experiencing
-How much your dry eyes are limiting your daily activities
-How often you use artificial tears
-How long you've been using artificial tears- be as specific as possible- if it's been several months, for example, be sure to let our Doctor know.
-How many types of over-the-counter eye drops you have tried and the names of those drops are  important.
-Exactly how satisfied or unsatisfied you feel about the relief you're getting from artificial tears
-Your desire to talk about other treatment options
 
Thank you for reading our blog!
 

      

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