Newsletter Articles/Education

Colorado Drye Eyes

Dry eye is a condition in which there are insufficient tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Tears are necessary for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye and for providing clear vision. People with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears or have a poor quality of tears. Dry eye is a common and often chronic problem, particularly in older adults. With each blink of the eyelids, tears are spread across the front surface of the eye, known as the cornea. Tears provide lubrication, reduce the risk of eye infection, wash away foreign matter in the eye, and keep the surface of the eyes smooth and clear. Excess tears in the eyes flow into small drainage ducts, in the inner corners of the eyelids, which drain in the back of the nose.

Dry eyes can result from an improper balance of tear production and drainage.

• Inadequate amount of tears – Tears are produced by several glands in and around the eyelids. Tear production tends to diminish with age, with various medical conditions, or as a side effect of certain medicines. Environmental conditions such as wind and dry climates can also affect tear volume by increasing tear evaporation. When the normal amount of tear production decreases or tears evaporate too quickly from the eyes, symptoms of dry eye can develop.
• Poor quality of tears – Tears are made up of three layers: oil, water, and mucus. Each component serves a function in protecting and nourishing the front surface of the eye. A smooth oil layer helps to prevent evaporation of the water layer, while the mucin layer functions in spreading the tears evenly over the surface of the eye. If the tears evaporate too quickly or do not spread evenly over the cornea due to deficiencies with any of the three tear layers, dry eye symptoms can develop. The most common form of dry eyes is due to an inadequate amount of the water layer of tears. This condition, called keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), is also referred to as dry eye syndrome. People with dry eyes may experience symptoms of irritated, gritty, scratchy, or burning eyes, a feeling of something in their eyes, excess watering, and blurred vision. Advanced dry eyes may damage the front surface of the eye and impair vision. Treatments for dry eyes aim to restore or maintain the normal amount of tears in the eye to minimize dryness and related discomfort and to maintain eye health.

The development of dry eyes can have many causes. They include:

• Age – dry eye is a part of the natural aging process. The majority of people over age 65 experience some symptoms of dry eyes.
• Gender – women are more likely to develop dry eyes due to hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, the use of oral contraceptives, and menopause.
• Medications – certain medicines, including antihistamines, decongestants, blood pressure medications and antidepressants, can reduce the amount of tears produced in the eyes.
• Medical conditions – persons with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and thyroid problems are more likely to have symptoms of dry eyes. Also, problems with inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis), inflammation of the surfaces of the eye, or the inward or outward turning of eyelids can cause dry eyes to develop.
• Environmental conditions – exposure to smoke, wind and dry climates can increase tear evaporation resulting in dry eye symptoms. Failure to blink regularly, such as when staring at a computer screen for long periods of time, can also contribute to drying of the eyes. Colorado has low humidity and thus contributes to dry eyes, as well as skin.
• Other factors – long term use of contact lenses can be a factor in the development of dry eyes. Refractive eye surgeries, such as LASIK, can cause decreased tear production and dry eyes.

Dry eyes can be a chronic condition, but your optometrist can prescribe treatment to keep your eyes healthy, more comfortable, and prevent your vision from being affected. The primary approaches used to manage and treat dry eyes include adding tears, conserving tears, increasing tear production, and treating the inflammation of the eyelids or eye surface that contributes to the dry eyes.

• Adding tears – Mild cases of dry eyes can often be managed using over-the-counter artificial tear solutions. These can be used as often as needed to supplement natural tear production. Preservative-free artificial tear solutions are recommended because they contain fewer additives that could further irritate the eyes. However, some people may have persistent dry eyes that don’t respond to artificial tears alone. Additional steps need to be taken to treat their dry eyes.
• Conserving tears – An additional approach to reducing the symptoms of dry eyes is to keep natural tears in the eyes longer. This can be done by blocking the tear ducts through which the tears normally drain. The tear ducts can be blocked with tiny silicone or gel-like plugs that can be removed, if needed. A surgical procedure to permanently close tear ducts can also be used. In either case, the goal is to keep the available tears in the eye longer to reduce problems related to dry eyes.
• Increasing tear production – Prescription eye drops that help to increase production of tears can be recommended by your optometrist, as well as omega-3 fatty acid nutritional supplements.
• Treatment of the contributing eyelid or ocular surface inflammation – Prescription eye drops or ointments, warm compresses and lid massage, or eyelid cleaners may be recommended to help decrease inflammation around the surface of the eyes.

Steps you can take to reduce symptoms of dry eyes include:

• Remembering to blink regularly when reading or staring at a computer screen for long periods of time. •Increasing the level of humidity in the air at work and at home.
• Wearing sunglasses outdoors, particularly those with wrap around frame design, to reduce exposure to drying winds and sun.
• Using nutritional supplements containing essential fatty acids may help decrease dry eye symptoms in some people. Ask your optometrist if the use of dietary supplements could be of help for your dry eye problems.
• Avoiding becoming dehydrated by drinking plenty of water (8 to 10 glasses) each day.

 

3D-ready TVs are one thing, but 3D-ready eyes?

It’s a serious question. Apparently, although 3D-ready TVs will hit the mass consumer market this year, many people are unaware that they can’t actually see 3D images properly. Research by leading optometrists has shown that more than half of people between the ages of 18 and 38 suffer from abnormalities in their binocular vision, or their ability to use both eyes together. This can, in a small number of cases, lead to a lack of depth perception, which is of course crucial to seeing 3D images. The research also found that five percent of the tested population suffered from amblyopia and/or strabismus, both of which render 3D viewing impossible, according to information published by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD).

But what does this mean for the new wave of 3D content cresting towards us in 2010? The problems caused by these conditions can occur intermittently, allowing the viewer to see 3D only some of the time. As Dr. Bradley Habermehl, president of the COVD, explained: “This can definitely cause headaches or at least make viewing very uncomfortable.” 3D content is making its way into the living room, but not everyone will be able to see it. The statement suggests that many people are unaware they cannot see fully in 3D, and that 3D content such as current blockbuster “Avatar” might highlight to them that something is wrong. Another condition that might become apparent in this way is known as visual motion hypersensitivity (VMH), which is characterised by feelings of dizziness when watching a film – even just in 2D – at the cinema.

According to the COVD, this effect will be stronger for those watching content in 3D, making viewing such content a particularly stressful experience. Another researcher, Dr. Susan R. Barry, a professor of neurobiology at Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, underwent optometric vision therapy at the age of 48 to correct her so-called “stereo blindness” – her inability to see in three dimensions. Now that Barry can see 3D normally, she said of Avatar: “The scenes of the forest receding way into the distance and the seeds from the Tree of Life floating in front of the screen were fantastic.”

 

updated 02/06/2010