Dry eyes plague more and more people – they itch and burn. Dry eyes can sensitively reduce the quality of life if the condition persists permanently and is not treated sensibly. However, if you follow a few tips and tricks and inform yourself about the causes, you will not have to suffer from dry eyes for long.
What are dry eyes
One speaks of dry eyes when the eyes produce felt or medically verifiable too little of tear fluid. The inner edges of the eyelids remain dry, and even repeated blinks do not help to eliminate the feeling of dryness. Dry eyes are often described by patients as feeling like they have sand in their eyes all the time.
Causes
Artificial tear substitutes may be a solution. Appropriate drops can be purchased on the Internet, in drugstores and pharmacies. Dry eyes are a widespread problem, which did not exist to this extent just a few decades ago. The causes of dry eyes lie in particular in the changed working conditions: More and more people have to sit in front of a computer all day for work-related reasons. They stare incessantly at a single point and thus strain their eyes unduly. At some point, the tear fluid becomes less and the feeling of sand in the eye increases. If you don’t act now, you risk permanent damage to your eyes! But it is not only for professional reasons that more and more people are sitting at their PCs for longer and longer periods of time. The Internet has become very important, especially for teenagers and children. Many teenagers spend most of the afternoon in front of the PC chatting and in social networks. Thus, most of the day is spent staring at a spot on the computer. Besides the computer, indoor air can also be a cause of dry eyes. Especially during the heating season in winter, the air in rooms is often incredibly stuffy and dry: Both of these factors promote dry eye syndrome. Allergies of various kinds can also be a cause of dry eyes.
Diseases with this symptom
- Allergy
- Vitamin A deficiency
- Conjunctivitis
- Sjögren’s syndrome
- Hormonal disorders
- Diabetes mellitus
Course
Dry eyes should be treated without fail, otherwise the course of the disease will continue to worsen. The eyes are very sensitive, but are one of our most important organs. While initially only the annoying feeling of sand in the eye disturbs, untreated germs can enter dry eyes and visual acuity may decrease.
Complications
Patients often underestimate the danger of dry eye, but because of the potential complications, dry eye is a serious condition. The tear film of an eye contains immune defenses and protects against foreign bodies. However, the tear substitutes used by ophthalmologists for therapy do not contain immune defense substances. Therefore, in the case of dry eye, a worsened immune performance of the eyes and a susceptibility to eye infections must be expected despite treatment. Furthermore, dry eyes increase sensitivity to smoke and light. Therefore, if left untreated, dry eyes can lead to bothersome light sensitivity, which can even cause eye pain. In addition, wearing contact lenses can lead to increased evaporation of the tear film and thus contribute to a worsening of the symptoms. According to current research, dry eye involves a mild chronic inflammation of the ocular surface. Regular check-ups with an ophthalmologist are important in order to detect and avert possible secondary diseases due to the inflammatory processes at an early stage. In patients with meibomian gland dysfunction, treatment of the clogged glands with warm compresses can not only relieve the symptoms, but also preserve the remaining functionality of the meibomian glands in the long term. In addition, in severely dry eyes, damage to the cornea may occur in the long term without treatment. This damage can be prevented by treatment with tear substitutes. Treatment by an ophthalmologist is therefore strongly recommended if the symptoms are severe.
When should you see a doctor?
Dry eyes can have a wide variety of causes, so that medical treatment may even be necessary.In most cases, dry eyes cause a very strong redness. At the same time, the eyes begin to burn, so at this point it is recommended to take appropriate eye drops. Such drops are freely available, so no prescription is required for them. If the use of such drops does not bring significant improvement, a doctor should definitely be consulted. There may be an underlying disease behind the dry eyes, which requires urgent medical or drug treatment. If dry eyes are accompanied by a stinging sensation in the eye, then there is a very high probability that an infection is behind it. An infection is triggered by bacteria, which causes redness and severe dryness. If you leave this condition without any treatment, you have to expect a considerable aggravation of the individual symptoms. Under certain circumstances, pus may even form. The eye can become clogged with pus fluid, especially in the morning hours. In addition, severe pain is also possible, which urgently requires appropriate treatment. Those who resort to such treatment with anti-inflammatory agents can expect a quick and effective improvement.
Treatment and prevention
Thus, dry eyes definitely require targeted treatment. The question of treatment of dry eyes is closely related to the question of sensible prevention, because the following applies here: good prevention is usually the best treatment. Thus, in terms of treatment, it also depends on the context in which dry eyes occur. In the case of dry eyes during the heating season, it is essential to distribute several small bowls of water throughout the rooms. The resulting humidity quickly improves the indoor climate and can thus reduce the feeling of dry eyes. Of course, the water should be changed regularly. In addition, you should make sure to ventilate well. Stale air promotes dryness in the eyes. Particularly in the morning, the eyes should be ventilated briefly at any temperature – drafts should be avoided. Bedrooms in particular must be well ventilated at all times of the year. If the dry eyes improve after the air humidity improves, further treatment is not necessary at first. If dry eyes occur repeatedly at certain times of the year, preferably during the pollen seasons in spring, or occur repeatedly after certain activities, such as a certain food, petting an animal, etc., one should think of an allergy. As part of the immediate treatment, it is important to avoid, if possible, everything that has triggered the suspicion of being related to an allergic reaction. An appointment with a specialist should also be made as soon as possible. This can test whether an allergy is present and what specifically triggers the allergy. Many allergies or their symptoms can also be alleviated with tablets. If the cause of dry eyes is a constant stay at the computer, one should critically check how much time at the computer is really necessary. People who have to work at the PC for professional reasons and who cannot reduce the amount of time spent at the computer should pay attention to good room ventilation on the one hand, and to consciously moving the eyes on the other. The gaze must be released from the PC again and again. It can also be helpful to consciously blink several times. Artificial tear substitutes can also be a solution. Appropriate drops can be purchased on the Internet, in drugstores and pharmacies. If all this does not help, you should definitely have dry eyes clarified by a doctor.
Outlook and prognosis
Treating dry eyes is effective. The eyes may need additional hydration due to contact lenses, a PC workstation, as a result of ocular herpes therapy or dry heating air. This can be provided via artificial tears. Dry eye treatment can be carried out several times a day. It prevents possible late damage to the eye. It is useful to investigate the causes of dry eye. These should be eliminated as far as possible. Warm heating air is easy to change. Instead, warmer pajamas can provide protection from the cold. Long hours of working at the PC should be interrupted every hour. This allows the eyes to rest and moisten by blinking more. For irritated eyes, the occasional application of eye ointment before bed may be indicated. In most cases, dry eyes are due to a deficit of tear fluid.However, if other causative agents have been identified, additional therapeutic measures of a medical nature may be indicated. For example, artificial tears and medicated eye drops may be prescribed. In contact lens wearers, the eyes are usually dry because too much tear fluid evaporates. The blinking of the eyelids can no longer sufficiently moisten the covered pupil. For dry eyes, it is advised to wear contact lenses only when they are actually needed.
What you can do yourself
In mild cases of dry eyes, even regular blinking can stimulate the flow of tears. Often, the complaints are also based on a harmless cause such as excessive humidity or generally poor indoor air. In most cases, it is sufficient to create a pleasant room climate with the help of air humidifiers or through regular ventilation. In addition, the eyes should be protected from drafts and blown air as well as smoke and exhaust fumes. Anyone who regularly works at a computer screen can relieve the strain on their eyes by taking regular breaks and doing relaxation exercises. An eyeball massage with the fingertips distributes the tear fluid and helps especially against acute eye dryness. As an alternative, various acupressure grips from Chinese medicine can be used. In the short term, dry eyes can also be alleviated by sufficient sleep and the use of various home remedies. Among other things, cucumber and potato masks, but also black tea and fish oil capsules have proven effective. Tear substitutes from the pharmacy help against dry eyes in old age. Alternatively, homeopathic preparations such as Arsencium album or Sulphur can be taken. Dry eyes associated with heavy eyelids and dark circles under the eyes can be treated with the help of Veratrum album. If these measures do not bring the desired success, a doctor should be consulted.
