Xerophthalmia
VisualDx Health, 2007 See article at www.visualdxhealth.com
Xerophthalmia (Dry Eye) in Adults: Condition, Treatment and Pictures - VisualDxHealth™ > > Xerophthalmia: Adult Xerophthalmia (Dry Eye): Information for adults Page Tools Dry eyes (xerophthalmia) may be red and/or have a gritty, scratchy, or filmy feeling. Tearing and/or dry eye problems are a set of conditions that affect the quality and/or quantity of the tears in the eye. The more modern term is dysfunctional tear syndrome, as that covers the many causes of this very complex problem. Anything that disturbs either the production of tears and/or the quality of the tears leads to dry eye syndrome (dysfunctional tear syndrome). Dry eye problems are extremely common with increasing age, although they are more common in women than men. About 10–14 million Americans have some form of this problem. With age, tear production and quality may decrease. There are several conditions and medications that can lead to dry eye syndrome or make it worse. These include: Rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren syndrome, and other autoimmune diseases. Diabetes. Exposure of the eye(s) due to thyroid disease. Many ocular surgical procedures including cataract surgery, refractive surgery for vision correction, and glaucoma surgery. Ocular allergies and allergies in general. Many oral medications such as diuretics, anti allergy medications, beta blockers, sleeping pills, pain relievers, and medications for stress. Wearing of contact lenses – especially over wearing of lenses, low water content lenses, and ill-fitting contact lenses. Preservatives in many eye drops. High wind and low humidity conditions, not only outside but wind drafts from heaters, fans, or air conditioners aimed toward your eyes. Prolonged reading, computer use, or viewing of TV or movies. Use of a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) device for treatment of sleep apnea. Diseases that affect the ability of the eyelids to close fully such as Bell palsy or facial paralysis. Surgery of the eyelids that causes greater exposure of the eye. Bone marrow transplant. Inflammatory diseases and degenerations of the cornea (outer covering of the eye). It is very unlikely that by looking at someone you could tell that they have dry eye problems. However, the following should alert you to the possibility of dry eye problems: Dry, gritty, scratchy, or filmy feeling Burning Stinging Itching Excess tearing Excess mucus production that is especially stringy in nature Redness Blurred vision Foreign body sensation Sensitivity to light Inability to wear contact lenses for a normal amount of time Irregular pattern of the problem in that some days the eyes feel fine, and other days the eyes feel worse (often correlates with environmental changes such as winds, humidity, etc) The first thing to do is to remove or reduce the influence, if possible, of those things that may be causing the problem. Reducing contact lens wear times and taking breaks from intense visual work are just two such examples. But, often the first treatment of choice is to use artificial tears. These come in many variations, and you may need to try several to find the one that best works for you. Some artificial tears are of normal fluid consistency while others are thicker. The thicker tears last longer and coat the eye better but can blur your vision. Though they cost more, some tears are preservative-free, and that is important to those who might be allergic/sensitive to various preservatives in artificial tears. Some artificial tears try to accomplish both longevity and less blurring. And for nighttime use, there are over-the-counter ointments to "grease up" the eye. Other self-care possibilities include the use of a humidifier to increase ambient humidity, warm compresses to increase the oily layer of the tear, and fish oil or flaxseed oil pills to increase the omega-3 fatty acids in the body and, hence, increase the oiliness of the tear. Note: It is important to understand that the tear is composed of 3 layers: a watery layer, a mucus layer, and a fatty layer. The fatty (lipid) layer on the outside of the tear film reduces the evaporation of tears while the middle watery layer provides the moisture. The inner mucus layer spreads evenly over the surface of the eye to keep the tear adherent to the eye surface. Trouble with any or all 3 of these layers leads to dysfunctional tear problems. For instance, if the mucus layer or fatty layer is deficient, the eye may respond by making more water (hence excess tearing) to compensate for the quicker loss of tears. Whereas, loss of the fatty layer could result in quicker evaporation of the tear and more of a sandy, gritty feeling. ADVERTISEMENT There are several reasons to pursue medical care when suffering from dysfunctional tear syndrome. These include: Persistent pain Failure to respond to self-care therapy Progressive blurring of vision Having to use artificial tears more than 3–4 times daily There are actually many resources that your eye specialist can use in treating dry eye syndromes. Following appropriate evaluation, the treatment may be as simple as a change in the type of artificial tear product. Or, if there is truly a deficiency in the amount of tears, temporary or permanent closure or plugging of some of the tear ducts (that drain tears from the eye) may be needed. Anti-inflammatory drugs (both steroidal and non-steroidal) both in oral and topical form may be needed. Restasis, the topical prescription drug used to increase tear production and quality of the tear is a major addition to treatment. Surgical procedures on the eyelids to reduce exposure may be required. Wearing of moisture goggles at night as well as oral omega-3 fatty acid supplements may also be indicated. Finally, treating causative diseases, medications, or other conditions in concert with your other doctors is often needed as well. Last Modified: 16 May 2007 | | | We comply with for health information Copyright © 2007 Logical Images, Inc. All rights reserved. The data contained in the VisualDxHealth™ Worldwide Web pages such as text, images, and graphics are for informational purposes only. The data is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment.
