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Dry eyes is a common condition that occurs when there is a problem with tear production. Tears are essential for good vision, moisture and nourishment of the eye and therefore damage to them may lead to an itchy or burning sensation in the eye, redness, feeling of a foreign body in the eye, difficulty driving, glare, pain when wearing contact lenses, blurred vision and even a tear that occurs in response to the constant stimulation of the eye, But in light of the work that there is a problem in the production of tears that caused the problem in the first place, these tears are produced in an abnormal way and therefore do not provide a solution to the situation.
If you suffer from some of the symptoms for an extended period of time, you should go to see a specialist.
Our tears consist of three layers, each of which has a different and essential role for the function of the tears and hence – for the function of the eye. The innermost layer is the mucous layer, followed by the aqueous layer and the outermost is the fatty layer. Each layer is produced in a different area of the eye by different glands or cells. The mucous layer is essential for the uniform distribution of tears over the surface of the eye, the aqueous layer provides moisture and protection while the fatty layer inhibits the evaporation of tears into the outer space. A defect or reduction in the production of any of the layers The above will lead to dry eyes.
The causes of dry eyes are varied, some of them depend on our lifestyle and can be changed, for example smoking, spending a lot of time in places with low humidity such as closed air-conditioned spaces, frequent use of screens, an unbalanced diet leading to a lack of essential fats and with them a lack of fat-soluble vitmans. Other conditions outside our control may be eyelid diseases, past eye surgeries, diseases such as Sjörgen’s syndrome, Parkinson’s, use of drugs such as psychiatric drugs, anti-allergy drugs, anti-hypertensive drugs and more.
Beyond these factors, the risk of dry eyes increases with age and is higher in post-menstrual women.
Dry eyes can cause a number of complications, from decreased quality of life, repeated infections of the eye to damage to the cornea (scars or corneal ulcers) that can lead to irreversible damage to vision.
Eye drops for dryness are the available and immediate solution to relieve the symptoms of dry eye. There are different types of drops from different companies, most without a prescription. There are drops with and without a preservative, if you use the drops frequently it is advisable to purchase without a preservative that may cause irritation to the eye with frequent use. The ratio of components is another significant difference between the types of drops. Drops that contain more liquid and less fatty components will provide quick relief, better vision but will evaporate quickly and will therefore require constant maintenance. In contrast, drops with a high percentage of fat will remain on the eye for a longer period of time but may cause blurred vision. Therefore, they are recommended to be used during the night while the watery ones are more convenient to use during the day. Today there is not one specific recommended type of drops, matching the best and most comfortable drops for you is done by trial and error of several products until you find the ideal drops for you.
In addition, since dry eyes is a problem caused by a defect or lack of production of one of the components, today there are various diagnostic methods for finding the specific cause of the problem, after which targeted treatment can be adapted to the solution.