DRY-EYE DISEASES (DEDS)
Dry Eye Disease (DED) is a commonly diagnosed disorder of the ocular surface often characterized by:
Sensation
Vision
(light sensitivity)
(of the conjunctiva)
Globally, Dry Eye Disease affects 1 in 5 adults.
Region, the prevalence of Dry Eye Disease (DED) goes up to 1 in 3 adults.
DRY EYES RISK FACTORS
Certain factors can increase your likelihood of experiencing dry eyes, such as:
Age
Wearing contact lenses or having a history of refractive surgery can also contribute to dry eyes.
Gender
Women are more likely to experience a lack of tears, especially during hormonal changes due to pregnancy, menopause, or using birth control pills.
Diet
A low intake of vitamin A (found in liver, carrots, and broccoli) or omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, walnuts, and vegetable oils) can increase the risk of dry eyes.
Contact
Lenses
or Refractive Surgery:
Wearing contact lenses or having a history of refractive surgery can also contribute to dry eyes.
Avoid blowing air from heaters, dryers, ACs, or fans toward your eyes to prevent discomfort and irritation.
During winter, indoor air can become dry and uncomfortable. Use a humidifier to add moisture and improve indoor air quality.
Wear protective eyewear to shield your eyes from wind and dry air. Add safety shields to your eyeglasses for extra protection, available where you buy your glasses.
Take breaks to prevent eye strain when doing tasks requiring visual focus. Close your eyes for a few minutes or blink repeatedly to distribute tears evenly over your eyes.
Remember to rest your eyes in dry environments, like high altitudes, deserts, or airplanes, to prevent tears from evaporating too quickly.
Position your computer screen below eye level to reduce eye strain and prevent the need to open your eyes wider to see it. This can also slow down the evaporation of tears during blinking.
To improve dry eye symptoms, avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. Seek help from a healthcare provider to quit smoking.
Stay away from smokers; if you don't smoke, it can worsen dry eye symptoms.
Regularly using artificial tears can keep your eyes lubricated, even if they feel fine. This is especially important if you have chronic dry eyes.
- Nichols KK. Patient-reported symptoms in dry dye disease. Ocul Surf 2006;4:137–45.
- Bukhari A, et al. Prevalence of Dry Eye in the Normal Population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Orbit. 2009;28:392–7.
- Alshamrani AA, et al. Prevalence and risk factors of dry eye symptoms in a Saudi Arabian population. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol 2017;24:67-73.
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-eyes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371863 last accessed Jun-23