Fatigue and dry, itchy, or watery eyes after using a computer or phone are things we all experience. Common approximations for the symptoms are screen fatigue and lack of sleep.
What if the symptoms don't go away?
Many people are affected by Dry Eye Disease, but many are unaware. The symptoms can be bothersome, but most will see the symptoms more so as inconveniences rather than a disease. This Dry Eye Awareness Month, make the effort to determine the cause of your eye discomfort, and think about the reasons that chronic dry eye disease is a serious issue.
What Exactly Is Dry Eye Disease?
Your body needs a healthy amount of tears to see the world clearly. They help your eyes with a lot of tasks beyond just moisture. They help protect the eyes, wash away dirt, and keep germs away.
Dry eye disease occurs when your eyes have low tear production, poor tear quality, or when your tears evaporate too quickly. Over time, the exposed surface of your eyes becomes irritated. Activities that are necessary for daily life, such as reading or driving, become quite painful.
Dry eye disease can occur in anyone but is more common in the elderly, contact lens users, those with autoimmune conditions like Sjögren's syndrome, and individuals with certain medical histories.
What May Indicate Serious Dry Eye Issues
Although it can take time to notice, dry eye symptoms can be difficult to manage. Knowing the signs, including burning, redness, or dry and sensitive eyes, can help you take the initiative to monitor your eye health and get support when you need it.
Incessant Eye Dryness After Sleeping
People with dry eyes can usually live with the discomfort, and most eventually do. If dry eyes are still a problem after you sleep, then that should be a cause for concern.
If It Burns or Scratches
Reading, driving, and looking at your phone or other electronic devices can make dry eyes feel worse, as if there's burning or scratching discomfort, or even an irritating foreign body.
Vision has a Temporary Blurriness.
Are you experiencing temporary dry eye blurriness after prolonged laptop use that is improved by a blink?
Due to the instability of the tear film, temporary blurriness of vision is often considered to be insignificant. However, that is a common occurrence among those with dry eyes and should be diagnosed by a doctor.
Increased Tear Production
Many people are surprised to learn that inappropriately excessive tears can be caused by dry eye disease.
When the eye becomes too dry, excess reflex tears are produced. However, they quickly evaporate and do not provide any relief.
Persistent Eye Redness is Unexplainable
Although your eyes may become red and irritated after long days, they should not frequently appear red and irritated. Unexplainable redness may be caused by dry eye and inflammation.
Bright Headlights Make You Uncomfortable
Is it common for you to squint in the sun or feel uncomfortable with bright headlights when you drive?
Your eyes may be a little dry, and perhaps even more sensitive to bright light, when the outer layer has become too dry.
Why More People Are Experiencing Dry Eyes Today
In recent years, a common occurrence has been the stark changes in our habits.
You have probably heard of “screen time,” and there is a good chance your screen time has increased during work from home, virtual meetings, or leisure time. Your screen time is literally in the hours. Increased screen time causes less blinking, and less blinking causes your eyes to dry out.
Other factors that may contribute include:
- Increasing age
- Air-conditioned environments
- Dust and pollution
- Hormonal changes
- Contact lens use
- Certain medications
- Diabetes and autoimmune conditions
These factors may not always cause dry eye disease, but they are more likely to cause symptoms over time and increase the risk of disease.
Don't Rely Only on Eye Drops
While artificial tears usually offer temporary dry eye relief, they are not a permanent solution
If you keep experiencing the dry eyes problem on a daily basis or frequently and if it starts disturbing your daily life activities even after lubricating eye drops then you should visit the doctor and identify the root cause of this problem. Sometimes, dry eye disease can also be diagnosed as disease of the cornea or ocular surface.
If you are suffering from irritation and discomfort of the eye, the Cornea Treatment services in Mumbai can show you how dry eye specialists and corneal specialists will find the root of the problem and treat it appropriately.
When to Visit an Eye Specialist?
Many people don’t think about their eyes unless there is a problem. The eyeball is not invincible; it can be seriously hurt or have problems.
Going for a thorough advanced eye check-up is a good idea if you have noticed:
- Dryness that lasts for several weeks
- Burning or stinging that keeps returning
- Blurred vision while reading or using digital devices
- Frequent redness
- Excessive watering
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses comfortably
- Increased sensitivity to light
Seeing an eye doctor can help you know and feel that your ongoing symptoms are being dealt with and nothing is being missed.
A Few Simple Habits Can Help
Implementing minor changes to daily routine may provide an individual a sense of empowerment as they positively impact their symptoms and improve their eye comfort in addition to the medical treatment they are receiving.
Screen time takes a toll on eye health especially when the 20-20-20 rule is not adhered to. This rule prescribes that every 20 minutes spent on the computer should be followed by a 20 second break looking at something that is 20 feet away. Staying hydrated and making an effort to blink are additional measures that should be taken. Wearing sunglasses protects the eyes from wind, dust and other elements as well.
While these practices do not alleviate dry eye and complete discomfort, they do help at decreasing the discomfort.
Final Thoughts
Well, dry eyes may look like a small problem at the beginning,and some humans may ignore this problem too. However, having dry eyes almost all the time can get worse and stop you from being productive and can negatively impact your vision.
Make sure to pay attention to your eye health this Dry Eye Awareness Month. While you may have grown accustomed to red, dry, or watery eyes and perhaps even blurred vision, now you don't have to live with these symptoms. Routine eye exams can help find what is irritating your eyes and help provide proper treatment to help you avoid letting the symptoms worsen and affect you more.