What is the prognosis?

Dry eyes do not have a high disease value in the strict sense. Therefore, there is no organ damage, life expectancy is not affected, etc. However, after a longer period of time, clouding of the corneal surface may develop, especially if the eye can no longer be closed ( e.g. due to paralysis of the facial nerve). Unfortunately, this cannot be counteracted as easily as insufficient tear production, which is simply replaced by eye drops.

Prophylaxis

For the prevention of dry eyes, care should be taken to ensure a sufficiently high humidity in closed rooms. Especially in winter, dry heating air should be prevented by placing water-filled vessels. But even in air-conditioned rooms in summer there is a risk that the air contains too little moisture.

Dry eyes and contact lenses

Contact lenses can also cause dry eyes and are a common problem for contact lens wearers. Causes: Dry eyes are usually caused by the contact lenses being too air-impermeable, which means that the oxygen supply, which serves to supply the cornea, is too low. In addition, the tear fluid under the lenses slowly evaporates during the course of the day, especially due to heat or wind.

The lenses can also impair rewetting by the blinking of the eyelid. Another factor may be that the flow of tear fluid through the contact lenses is impaired. Wearers of soft contact lenses are particularly at risk because soft contact lenses are elastic and adapt completely to the surface of the cornea, so that little oxygen and tear fluid get under the lens and thus to the cornea.

For this reason, soft contact lenses are more suitable for people who wear their lenses only a few times a week. With hard contact lenses there is less risk of dry eyes, because hard contact lenses are usually smaller and do not cover such a large part of the cornea. In addition, they do not adapt so well to the shape of the cornea, so that more oxygen and tear fluid can reach the cornea overall.

What do I have to consider when wearing contact lenses to avoid permanently dry eyes? Firstly, hard contact lenses should be preferred when wearing contact lenses on a daily basis. In addition, it is also recommended to take out contact lenses that are also suitable for wearing at night, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, from time to time during the night to protect the eye from further drying out.

It is also important that the lenses are removed as soon as possible if symptoms occur. Complaints can be an unpleasant sensation caused by the lenses when the eyes are dry, or even a blurred vision due to the dryness of the eyes. It is important to pay attention to these complaints, otherwise it can easily lead to inflammation of the eye, as the eye is chronically irritated by the dryness.

In addition, soft contact lenses should be examined by an eye doctor every six months, whereas hard contact lenses should be examined once a year if they do not cause any problems. A doctor’s visit should also take place if there are no subjective complaints, because changes in the eye can be visible to the specialist even without perceived complaints.If symptoms such as dry eyes caused by contact lenses are already present, adequate lens care and an appropriate wearing time must be ensured. One should always observe the recommended maximum wearing time of the lenses.

There are also special moisturizing solutions or tear substitutes that can alleviate the discomfort. When choosing contact lenses, it is also important to choose a product with high permeability or a product that can balance the fluid balance via the tear film of the eyes. For this purpose, there are special lenses with silicone hydrogel or lenses with a high content of hyaluronic acid.

The hyaluronic acid stores liquid instead of releasing it to the outside. On the other hand, a product with a high water content in contact lenses without storing the liquid usually causes more water to evaporate and the eyes to lose moisture. For this reason, you should consult an eye doctor when choosing lenses.