Which may be due to chronic dry eye

Intense “burning” or itching in is a symptom that many of us have experienced, but it is estimated that for 7% of adults dry eye is not a transient nuisance. This is a chronic disorder that seriously affects their quality of life and is often difficult to deal with. Existing evidence suggests that chronic dry eye (or dry eye syndrome) increases with age: It is estimated that it suffers less than 3% of those 18-34 years of age, compared with 18% of those over 75 years of age, while cases are more frequent in women. In the US, “Chronic Dry Eye In America Survey” showed that although nearly half of the participants in research (48%) were following the treatment recommended by the treating ophthalmologists, only 13% had prolonged relief from their symptoms. Also most dry-eye syndrome sufferers said that unprescriptiond collars alone do not improve their condition enough and therefore seek additional treatments. Among other things they drink more water, (reported by 76% of participants), they use hot patches (hot compresses 56%) and frequent blinking (52%). At 45% they said they avoid smoking or being in smokers and 34% that they take their makeup too carefully. However, most said that they are forced to live with multiple symptoms, with more often the dryness of the eyes (76%), the feeling that there is something in the eye (64%), eye fatigue (62%), light sensitivity (62%) and blurred vision (60%). They also reported that burning and itching force them to persistently rub their eyes. “We know that dry eye syndrome is a type of ocular surface disease, which involves a group of disorders that cause reduced production of tears or good quality tears,” says Dr. Anastasios-I. Kanellopoulos, MD, Surgeon- Ophthalmologist, founder and scientific director of the LaserVision Institute of Ophthalmology, Professor of Ophthalmology, University of New York and adds: “The tears and lack or poor quality of the eyes are essential for the lubrication of the eyes. Eye surface disease is a complex pathological entity, as it has many subtypes that often have overlapping symptoms and therefore putting the correct diagnosis is not always easy. Among other things, allergic conjunctivitis, blepharitis, maivomian gland dysfunction, loose eyelid syndrome (floppy eyelid syndrome), frequent and persistent “sweeping” of eyelids (mucous fishing syndrome), corneal malformations and toxic reactions to medicines or cosmetics are some of the disorders that may have symptoms similar to those of dry eye syndrome. In these cases, however, artificial tears provide only temporary relief, since they do not face their underlying cause. In our country it is noted that a large group underdiagnosed is the large number of women who have dry eyes due to underlying thyroid disease or other autoimmune disease. So many symptoms may be considered and treated as dry eye syndrome, but patients do not see improvement because their true cause is something else,” points out Mr. Kanellopoulos, noting that “the sufferers should not despair from chronic dry eyes, who do not see improvement, because according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), there are specialized diagnostic tools that can identify the exact cause of their symptoms, as well as various treatments that may help.” “Contemporary diagnostic tests may determine e.g. if someone has dry eye syndrome or suffers from another type of eye surface disease. The test for example Tearlab Osmolarity System (measured the osmorioticity of the tear layer) can show whether one has dry eye syndrome and how serious it is. Other tests assess the quality of tears, as well as imaging tests identify any problems in the meibomian glands that produce an oil present in healthy tears. Special imaging tests, such as the visual resonance tomography (OCT), that control the corneal epithelium can also be performed. The latter, “easy” for the sufferer, has been investigated and established worldwide by our scientific team in Athens,” points out Mr Kanellopoulos. ‘Putting a proper diagnosis is essential because there are many therapeutic options and it may take time for a patient to find the right one. In many cases, patients are not given a treatment, but a combination of treatments, including artificial tears and changes in lifestyle and diet to obstruction of tear ducts with silicone plugs and special medicines applied locally or taken orally. Most patients with dry eyes find a solution by prescribing chronic use of local cyclosporin eye drops. These are options adapted depending on the time and intensity of symptoms. However, in any case it is necessary to treat chronic dry eyes properly, because if left long without proper treatment, it can lead to pain, ulcers or corneal scars. In rare cases, it can cause loss of vision,” concludes the professor.