Are you experiencing itching, irritation and dryness in your eyes? Then you may be suffering from dry eyes syndrome. It is a chronic and progressive condition. Depending on the causes as well as the severity of the condition, it may or may not be completely curable. But it is possible to successfully manage dry eye syndrome which results in improved eye comfort, fewer dry eye symptoms and, in some cases, better vision.
Because there are different causes of dry eyes, different treatment approaches can be used to manage and treat it.
Causes of Dry Eye Syndrome:
• Excessive use of digital devices or reading
• Living or working in dry environments
• Prolonged use of contact lenses
• LASIK surgery
• Certain medications
• Diet that lacks essential fatty acids
• Certain cardiovascular conditions
• Lack or malfunction of the tear-generating gland
Common Signs and Symptoms:
• Blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Irritation in windy conditions
• Fatigued and itchy eyes
• Problems while wearing contact lenses
• Excessive or no tearing
• Redness in eyes
Treatment Options for Dry Eyes Condition:
The following are dry eye treatment options. Depending on the causes, symptoms and severity, your doctor may suggest one or a combination of these treatments.
• Use of artificial tears: If you suffer from mild eyes dryness caused due to excessive and continuous use of screens or reading in low light, the best treatment is the use of artificial tears or any other type of eyes lubricant drops. Consult your doctor for a recommendation of the right artificial tears eye drops for your condition. Because there are multiple brands available over-the-counter you may get confused.
• Restasis: These are prescription eye drops, which are recommended by doctors depending on your condition. These drops not just lubricate your eyes, but also help reduce inflammation and stimulate the production of natural eye tears. This helps restore moisture in your eyes, and makes them healthy and relaxed.
• Xiidra: It is another type of FDA approved prescription eye drops used to treat eyes dryness. It reduces inflammation caused by dry eyes. It’s recommended that you apply it two times with an interval of at least 12 hours every day in each eye.
• Steroid drops for eyes: In the past few years, inflammation has been discovered as a cause of dry eyes. It also causes a burning sensation and redness, which are related to the dry eye syndrome. The use of artificial tears drops may not be able to address the issue of inflammation. So steroid eye drops may be recommended for quickly managing the symptoms. These are usually used in combination with artificial tear drops and Restasis.
• Punctal Plugs: These plugs are sometimes recommended to keep your natural eye tears stay on the eye surface for a longer time. It is a small and sterile device which is placed into the small opening of the tear drain duct. These ducts are present in the inner corners of the upper as well as lower eyelids. After the plug is inserted, tears are unable to drain from the eye surface through the drain ducts. This helps relieve the symptoms of eye dryness.
