Keeping the eye hydrated delays the development of dry eye disease

2023-04-17 11:53:35

The English poet Robert Herrick (1591-1674) wrote: “the noble language of the eyes is a tear.” Tears are a saline liquid that is responsible for keeping the eyes moist, protecting them from infections and irritants like dirt and dust, as well as helping to focus light so we can see better. Tears are produced in the lacrimal glands that are located above the eyeball and supply tear fluid to the eye every time we blink. The human eye blinks on average about 15 times per minute, which means once every 4 seconds..

With each blink, that thin layer of tears, called the tear film, spreads across the surface of the cornea. Tears consist of three components: an internal mucosa that makes the tear attach to the eye; an intermediate aqueous, which is the thickest and hydrates the eye, repels bacteria and protects the cornea; and an outer fat (lipid) produced by the glands of Meiboniumlocated inside the eyelids, which is responsible for keeping the surface of the eye smooth, as well as preventing the other layers from evaporating.

When the eyes do not produce enough tears or do not perform their function correctly, dry eye disease develops. “Dry eye disease is common in our society. The main symptoms that patients have are the sensation of being dry, having grit or earth in their eyes, they may have itching, burning, discomfort in the light and also vision fluctuates with blinking, “explains Dr. Antonio Mateo, a specialist in cornea and ocular surface of the Quirónsalud Zaragoza Ophthalmological Institute.

This disease affects everyone, regardless of age. In Spain, 30 percent of the population suffers from dry eye symptoms, being more common in women, the elderly and people who are in front of the computer screen or other electronic devices for a long time and must fix their eyes, which causes a decrease in blinking frequency.

The main symptoms are: sensation of dryness, having grit or earth in the eyes, itching, burning, discomfort in the light and also fluctuating vision when blinking

Antonio Mateo

Cornea and ocular surface specialist at the Quirónsalud Zaragoza Ophthalmological Institute

The symptoms tend to worsen in adverse environmental conditions, such as dry environments, with little humidity or with a lot of wind, as well as if you are exposed to heat pumps or air conditioners. They also worsen when the patient stares and blinks a little.. This lack of tears affects daily activities and the quality of life of the people who suffer from it, since it inflames and damages the surface of the eye.

The causes of this disorder are usually diverse, although the most common is hormonal alteration, which causes a malfunction of the lacrimal glands and a decrease in tear secretion. However, “the most common cause is dysfunction of the meibonian glands, which are responsible for making the lipid layer of the tear film that cleans, protects, nourishes, and lubricates the eye,” adds Dr. Mateo.

To diagnose dry eye, a complete study is carried out in which the damage to the ocular surface is evaluated and the margins of the eyelids are explored, which is where most of the eye problems lie, in order to find the appropriate solution. to each case. It is important to establish a series of hygienic and environmental guidelines, in addition to using conventional treatments such as artificial tears.

In addition, innovative physical therapies have recently emerged for the treatment of dry eye disease, such as intense pulsed light, known as IPL. «It is usually applied to improve the functioning of the meibonian glands and reduce inflammation of the eyelid and ocular surface.», explains the specialist from the Quirónsalud Zaragoza Ophthalmological Institute. “The treatment is usually four sessions and the patient begins to notice improvement from the second session, which reduces the use of artificial tears,” he points out.

Dry eye is a chronic disease that has no definitive cure, but its early appearance can be reduced by avoiding the abuse of contact lenses, electronic reading devices, or spending too much time in front of the computer screen. When, for whatever reason, you cannot avoid using the computer for many hours at a time, it is important to blink frequently and rest for 5 minutes every hour to avoid the so-called computer vision syndrome and, as a consequence, the development of eye disease. dry.