DRY EYES (ARE YOU AWARE)

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WHAT IS DRY EYES
The eye depends on the flow of tears to provide constant moisture and lubrication to maintain vision and comfort. Tears are a combination of water for moisture; oils for lubrication; mucus for even spreading; and antibodies and special proteins, for resistance to infection. These components are secreted by special glands located around the eye. When there is an imbalance in this tear system, a person may experience dry eyes.

A stable tear film prevents dry eyes and allows your eyes to maintain clear, comfortable vision.

Decreased production of fluids from your tear glands can destabilize the tear film, allowing it to break down rapidly and create dry spots on the surface of your eyes. An imbalance in the substances that make up the tear film also causes dry eye
Treatment of dry eyes aims to restore a more normal tear film to minimize your dryness, blurred vision and discomfort.
SYMPTOMS Signs and symptoms of dry eyes, which usually affect both eyes, may include:
1.Sensitivity to light
2.A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes
3.Stringy mucus in or around your eyes
4.Increased eye irritation from smoke or wind
5.Eye fatigue after short periods of reading
6.Difficulty wearing contact lenses
7.Blurred vision& light sensitivity ,
8.A feeling of a foreign body or sand in the eye
9.Itching,Redness&Blurring of vision.
CAUSES Tears are complex mixture of water, fatty oils, proteins, electrolytes, bacteria-fighting substances and growth factors that regulate various cell processes. This mixture helps make the surface of your eyes smooth and clear. Without tears, good vision is impossible.
1.Poor tear quality
2.The tear film has three basic layers: oil, water and mucus. Problems with any of these layers can cause dry eye symptoms.
3.Decreased tear production

4.The condition is more common among women, especially after menopause. This may be due in part to hormonal changes.
5.Damage to the tear glands from inflammation or radiation can hamper tear production.
6.Dry eyes are also associated with some medical conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome and vitamin A deficiency

7.Poor lid function
8.Through blinking — normally at a rate of about once every 12 seconds — your eyelids spread a continuous thin film of tears across the surface of your eyes.
9.Blepharitis, an inflammation along the edge of the eyelids, also may cause your eyes to feel dry and scratchy.

10.Some Allopathic Medications that can be the causes of dry eyes include:
Diuretics, drugs commonly used to treat high blood pressure
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors used to treat high blood pressure
Antihistamines and decongestants
Sleeping pills
Birth control pills
Certain antidepressants
Isotretinoin-type drugs for treatment of acne
Opiate-based pain relievers, such as morphine
Side effects of using certain medications such as antihistamines
11.Dry eyes can be worsened by exposure to many environmental conditions that have a drying effect, such as sun, wind, high altitude, a dry climate, hot blowing air and the dry air that commonly occurs in the cabins of commercial airplanes.

12.Most Important tasks that require intense visual concentration — such as working at a computer, driving or reading — tend to decrease your blink rate, thereby increasing tear evaporation.

CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS
If your eyes feel dry and irritated, your eye doctor can test both the quantity and the quality of your tears.
COMPLICATIONS Most people with dry eyes don't experience any long-term complications. However, if left untreated, severe dry eyes may lead to eye inflammation, infection and scarring on the surface of your cornea.
LIFESTYLE AND DIET


1.Avoid air blowing in your eyes. Don't direct hair dryers, car heaters, air conditioners or fans toward your eyes.
2.Wear glasses on windy days and goggles while swimming. The wraparound style of glasses may help reduce the effects of the wind.
3.Some people use specially designed glasses that form a moisture chamber around the eye, creating additional humidity. These glasses can be worn at night, and may be especially helpful for people that sleep with their eyes partially open. They can also be worn during the day to relieve dry eye symptoms.
4.Avoid rubbing your eyes. You can irritate your eyes further by rubbing them.

5.Remember to blink. Consciously blinking repeatedly helps spread your own tears more evenly.
6.Diet rich in nuts , seeds,fruits specially Almonds,Seeds of muskmelon,flaxseeds,honey,strawberries,raspberry,grapes,oranges etc(always check your senstivity)
7.When performing tasks that require intense visual concentration, take occasional breaks — adding up to about five minutes each hour — and rest your eyes by closing your lids for several seconds. Follow this by consciously increasing your blink rate. .
HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT
Since Homoeopathy is a medical science in which medicine selection depends on various factors,therefore before taking any homoeopathic medicine medical supervision is necessary,Still there are few medicines which can be of help if taken under medical supervision of a Doctor. these are Natrum mur,Arnica,Euphrasia,Kali bichromicum,Apis mel,Belladonna Manganum acetate etc.