DRY EYE
Researchers consider OcuSolves HOCL as the best eye drops for dry eyes and contacts. Demodex-positive Dry Eye sufferers show significant improvement from Dry Eye symptoms within 30 days.
reference: https://www.iovs.arvojournals.org/article aspx
People with dry eyes may experience irritated, gritty, scratchy or burning eyes; and blurred vision. It can even cause excess watering.
Each blink of the eyelids, causes tears to spread across the front eye surface (the cornea).
Tears provide:
- lubrication,
- reduce friction between the lid and the dry ocular surface
- reduce the friction between contact lenses and the eye surface
- reduce the risk of eye infection,
- wash away foreign matter in the eye, and
- keep the eye surface smooth and clear.
- Advanced Dry Eyes may damage the front surface of the eye and impair vision.
Causes of Dry Eyes
Dry Eyes Are Caused by
A. Inadequate Amount of Tears. Tears are produced by several glands in and around the eyelids.
- Tear production tends to diminish with age, with various medical conditions or as a side effect of certain medicines.
- Environmental conditions, such as wind and dry climates, can also decrease tear volume due to increased tear evaporation. When the normal amount of tear production decreases or tears evaporate too quickly from the eyes, symptoms of dry eye can develop.
B. Poor Quality of Tears. Tears are made up of three layers: oil, water, and mucous.
Each component protects and nourishes the front surface of the eye.
- A smooth oil layer helps prevent evaporation of the water layer.
- The mucin layer spreads the tears evenly over the surface of the eye.
If the tears evaporate too quickly or do not spread evenly over the cornea due to deficiencies with any of the three tear layers, dry eye symptoms can develop.
DRY EYES CAUSES
Common Causes of Dry Eyes Are
- Age-The majority of people over age 65 experience some symptoms of dry eyes.
- Gender- Women are more likely to develop dry eyes due to hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, the use of oral contraceptives and menopause.
- Medications- Some medications, including: Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) a common preservative in eye drops, as well as, antihistamines, decongestants, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants, can reduce tear production.
- Medical conditions- People with rheumatoid arthritis. thyroid problems, arthritis, diabetes, and Sjorgen’s Syndrome are more likely to have dry eye symptoms. Dry eyes can also develop, due to problems with inflammation of the eyelids (like blepharitis), inflammation of the surface of the eye, or the inward-or-outward-turning of eyelids.
- Contact Lens Wear- 50 % of Contact lens wearers complain of dry eye symptomss.
- Refractive eye surgeries, (such as LASIK) also decrease tear production and contribute to dry eyes.
Environmental Conditions– Eg. Exposure to smoke, wind, and a dry climate can increase tear evaporation. Not blinking regularly, as from staring at a computer screen for long periods, can also be a factor.
DRY EYE TREATMENT
The Best Eye Drops for Dry Eyes and Contacts.
The Best Eye Drops for Dry Eyes
The best Eye drops for Dry Eyes and Contacts should be Preservative free, non-toxic and help heal the eye surface, while treating inflammation and tear film stability.
- Adding tears. Mild cases of dry eyes can often be managed using artificial tear solutions. These can be used as often as needed to supplement natural tear production.
- Increasing tear production.
Ocusolve Eye Wash offers accumulative and fast relief for mild and severe Dry Eyes. See more below
- People with dry eyes that don’t respond to artificial tears alone will need to take additional steps to treat their dry eyes.
SEVERE DRY EYE SYNDOME TREATMENT
Dr Alice Epitropoulos is among the top Eye Specialists who recommend a combination approach for severe dry eye syndrome treatment using:
- Dr Epitropoulos is a proponent of HOCL eye wash as the best eye drops for dry eyes. She sees this ingredient revolutionising Optometry through lid hygiene, eye inflammation control and eye surface repair and healing.
- MBG Mybomian Gland Extraction is also done in order to remove dry oils from the mebomian gland and get the oils flowing.
- IPL Treatment or Intense Pulsed Light Treatments are recommended to soften the oils and get gland production moving.
- Lipiflow can be added after the IPL sessions to improve severe dry eye treatment outcomes.
- Top-up IPL treatments are recommended as follow-up to keep severe dry eyes syndrome symptoms in check.
CONTACT LENSES FOR SEVERE DRY EYES
A Severe Dry Eye Specialist and Orthotist Connan Tam in the UK recommends a change to Soft Bandage Contact lenses or Sclera Lenses for Severe Dry Eye Symptom relief.
Bettamed OcuSolve Eye Wash, good hydration (drinking fluids), and a good Omega 3 fatty acid supplement is a brilliant first-line defense against Dry Eyes.
OcuSolve with is specifically formulated for long-lasting comfort and maintaining tear film health. The effects are rapid in-onset for relief from dry eyes, red, itchy eyelids that may be related to dry eye, blepharitis, contact lens wear or meibomian gland dysfunction. Studies have shown significant improvement in meibomian gland function within 30 days. This is of real value to the sufferer.
OcuSolve™ Eye Wash is:
- a safe soothing and healing eye drop that works to reduce erythema (redness) and meibomian gland dysfunction within 4-7 days.
- this Oxygen rich solution provides gentle PROTECTION and SUPPORTs eye health simultaneously.
- Preservative free formulation.
Extreme dry eye treatment
For extra lubrication– we like Xalin Gel- for the level of comfort it offers. The Xalin gel should also be used at bedtime- so that the eye remains lubricated while you sleep. It gives you a better start to the day and protects the Cornea of the eye.
You can also take steps to increase the humidity in the air at work and at home- by using a Humidifier.
Chronic Dry Eyes also benefit from warm compresses or the Eye Spa Therapy Mask.