Call or Text
Call or Text
405-341-2062
Is this dry eye?
Insight into the most prevalent eye condition silently plaguing America
Everyone at some time has experienced a dry, scratchy eye. It’s uncomfortable to say the least. For a surprising number of Americans however, this is a regular and every day occurrence.
It can be a slow progression and become our new “normal.” We rely on our eyes for practically everything. When something is amiss, it can make even the simplest tasks daunting.
A lot of people suffering from these symptoms falsely believe they are allergies and go no further, but a simple trip to your eye doctor could reveal something deeper and treatable.
In addition to the obvious symptoms of dry eye, there are some sneakier ones as well that you might not expect.
- Fluctuating vision
- Feeling like there is grit or a foreign object in your eye
- Eye fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Watery eyes
- Itching
There are several factors that lead to dry eye.
- Smoking
- Working in windy environments
- Prolonged computer use
- Aging
- Prolonged contact lens wearing
- Certain medications
- Hormone changes
Even your gender plays a roll, as dry eye disproportionately affects women. It is estimated that 3.2 million women age 50 and over suffer from it, as opposed to 1.6 million men.
There are also underlying medical conditions, which once diagnosed,could lead to targeted treatments.
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction is primarily the culprit and it comes with two main causes.
- Evaporative dry eye: the meibomian gland does not secrete enough oil leading to the tear film to evaporate too quickly.
- Aqueous deficiency: the lacrimal glands aren’t producing enough watery fluid.
Sjogren’s Disease is yet another offender. This autoimmune disease affects more than the eyes, but dry eye happens to be one of the more prevalent symptoms.
Sjogren’s also causes:
- Fatigue
- Dry mouth
- Brain fog
- Trouble sleeping
- Joint and muscle pain
Once the cause is discovered, a targeted plan can be made. This ranges anywhere from a wide variety of drops, to a portable device that stimulates the tear ducts, or other more intensive and targeted measures such as Intense PulsedLight (IPL).
Our next blog will be to talk more in depth on the treatment options available, so stay tuned.
If you are reading this blog and these symptoms seem familiar,don’t just live with them. Come talk to our doctors about what they can do to help relieve your symptoms. There is help to be had. Don’t let your productivity and quality of life suffer, we got you!!
