Dry eyes

Dry eyes plague more and more people - it itches and burns. Dry eyes can significantly reduce the quality of life if the condition persists and is not treated appropriately. But if you follow a few tips and tricks and find out about the causes, you no longer have to suffer from dry eyes for long.

What are dry eyes

We speak of dry eyes when the eyes, either felt or medically proven, produce too little tear fluid. The inner edges of the eyelids remain dry, even repeated blinking does not help to eliminate the feeling of dryness. Patients often describe dry eyes as having the feeling of permanently having sand in their eyes.

causes

Artificial tear replacement can be a solution. Corresponding drops can be purchased on the Internet, in the drugstore and in the pharmacy.

Dry eyes are a widespread problem that did not exist to this extent just a few decades ago. The reasons for dry eyes lie in particular in the changed working conditions: More and more people have to sit in front of the computer all day for professional reasons. You keep staring at one point and strain your eyes unduly. At some point the tear fluid becomes less and the feeling of sand in the eye increases.

If you don't act now, you risk permanent damage to your eyes! But more and more people are sitting at their PC for longer and longer periods of time, and not just for professional reasons. The importance of the Internet has become very important, especially among young people and also children. Many teenagers spend the afternoon mostly in front of the PC, chatting and on social networks. Most of the day is spent staring at one point on the computer.

In addition to the computer, the air in the room can also be a cause of dry eyes. Especially during the heating season in winter, the air in the rooms is often incredibly stuffy and dry: Both of these promote the dry eye syndrome. Allergies of all kinds can also be a cause of dry eyes.

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Diseases with this symptom

• allergy
• Vitamin A deficiency

• Conjunctivitis
• Sjogren's syndrome

• Hormonal imbalances
• Diabetes mellitus

course

Dry eyes should definitely be treated, otherwise the course of the disease will continue to worsen. The eyes are very sensitive, but they are one of our most important organs. While initially only the annoying feeling of sand in the eye bothers you, untreated germs can enter dry eyes and the visual acuity can be reduced.

Complications

Patients often underestimate the risk of dry eye, but due to the potential complications, dry eye is a serious disease. The tear film of an eye contains immune defense substances and protects against foreign bodies. However, the tear substitutes used by ophthalmologists for therapy do not contain any immune defense substances.

In the case of a dry eye, a deteriorated immune performance in the eyes and a susceptibility to eye infections must therefore be expected despite treatment. Furthermore, the sensitivity to smoke and light increases with dry eyes. If left untreated, dry eyes can lead to a disturbing sensitivity to light, which can even cause eye pain.

In addition, wearing contact lenses can lead to increased evaporation of the tear film and thus contribute to a worsening of the symptoms. According to the current state of research, dry eyes have a slightly chronic inflammation of the surface of the eye. Regular check-ups by an ophthalmologist are important in order to identify and avert possible secondary diseases due to the inflammatory processes at an early stage.

In patients with meibomian gland dysfunction, treating the blocked glands with warm compresses can not only relieve the symptoms, but also preserve the remaining functionality of the meibomian glands in the long term.

In the case of severely dry eyes, without treatment, permanent damage to the cornea can occur. This damage can be averted with treatment with tear substitutes. Treatment by an ophthalmologist is therefore strongly recommended in the case of severe symptoms.

When should you go to the doctor?

Dry eyes can have a wide variety of causes, so that medical treatment may even be necessary. In most cases, dry eyes are very reddened. At the same time, the eyes start to sting, so the use of appropriate eye drops is recommended at this point. Such drops are freely available, so no prescription is required.

If there is no significant improvement through the use of such drops, a doctor should definitely be consulted. Under certain circumstances, there may be an underlying disease behind dry eyes that urgently requires medical or drug treatment. If the dry eyes are also stinging, there is a very high probability that an infection is behind it.

An infection is caused by bacteria, which causes redness and severe dryness. Anyone who leaves this clinical picture without any treatment must expect a considerable worsening of the individual symptoms. Pus may even form under certain circumstances. The eye can become stuck with pus, especially in the morning hours. In addition, severe pain is also possible, which urgently requires appropriate treatment. Anyone who resorts to such treatment with anti-inflammatory active ingredients can count on a quick and effective improvement.

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Treatment & prevention

So dry eyes absolutely require targeted treatment. The question of the treatment of dry eyes is closely linked to the question of meaningful prevention, because the following applies here: good prevention is usually the best treatment. When it comes to treatment, it also depends on the context in which dry eyes occur. If your eyes are dry during the heating season, you should definitely distribute several small bowls of water all over the rooms. The resulting humidity quickly improves the room climate and can reduce the feeling of dry eyes. The water should of course be changed regularly.

You should also make sure that you ventilate well. Stale air promotes dryness in the eyes. In the morning in particular, you should briefly ventilate the room at any temperature - avoid drafts. The bedrooms in particular must be well ventilated at all times of the year. If dry eyes improve after the humidity has improved, no further treatment is initially necessary.

If dry eyes occur repeatedly at certain times of the year, preferably during the pollen season in spring, or occur again and again after certain activities, such as a certain food, petting an animal, etc., an allergy should be considered. As part of the emergency aid, it is important to avoid everything that is suspected of being connected with an allergic reaction. An appointment with a specialist should also be made as soon as possible. This can test whether there is an allergy and what exactly is causing the allergy. Many allergies and their symptoms can also be alleviated with tablets.

If the cause of dry eyes is a constant stay at the PC, you should critically check how much time you really need to spend on the computer. People who have to work on a PC for professional reasons and who cannot reduce the amount either should ensure good room ventilation on the one hand, and consciously moving their eyes on the other.

The view has to be removed from the PC again and again. It can also be helpful to deliberately blink several times. Artificial tear replacement can also be a solution. Corresponding drops can be purchased on the Internet, in the drugstore and in the pharmacy. If none of this helps, dry eyes should definitely be examined by a doctor.

Outlook & forecast

Treating dry eyes is effective. The eyes may require additional moisture from contact lenses, a PC workstation, as a result of ocular herpes therapy or from dry, heated air. This can be guaranteed through artificial tears. The treatment of dry eyes can be carried out several times a day. It prevents possible late damage to the eye.

It makes sense to investigate the causes of dry eye. These should be turned off as far as possible. Warm heating air is easy to change. Instead, warmer pajamas can provide protection from the cold. Long working hours at the PC should be interrupted every hour. This allows the eyes to rest and moisten themselves by blinking more often. If the eyes are irritated, the occasional application of eye ointment before going to bed may be indicated.

In most cases, dry eyes are caused by a lack of tear fluid. However, if other causes have been identified, additional therapeutic measures of a medical nature may be indicated. For example, artificial tears and medically effective eye drops can be prescribed.

With contact lens wearers, the eyes are usually dry because too much tear fluid evaporates. The blink of an eye can no longer sufficiently moisten the covered pupil. If your eyes are dry, it is advisable to wear the contact lenses only when they are actually needed.

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You can do that yourself

In mild cases of dry eyes, even blinking regularly can stimulate the flow of tears. Often the complaints are also due to a harmless cause such as excessive humidity or generally poor indoor air. In most cases, it is sufficient to create a pleasant room climate with the help of air humidifiers or regular ventilation. In addition, the eyes should be protected from draft and blown air as well as smoke and exhaust gases.

Those who work regularly on the screen can relieve their eyes through regular breaks and relaxation exercises. An eyeball massage with the fingertips distributes the tear fluid and is particularly helpful against acute dry eyes. As an alternative, various acupressure grips from Chinese medicine can be used. In the short term, dry eyes can also be relieved by getting enough sleep and using various home remedies. Cucumber and potato masks, but also black tea and fish oil capsules have proven themselves.

Tear substitutes from the pharmacy help against dry eyes in old age. Alternatively, homeopathic preparations such as Arsencium album or Sulfur can be taken. Dry eyes, blindfolded with heavy lids and dark circles under the eyes, can be treated with the help of Veratrum album. If these measures do not have the desired effect, a doctor should be consulted.