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Dry Eye Syndrome is a term used
to describe the reduction in your eyes' ability
to naturally produce tears. There are over 10
million Americans who suffer from dry eyes.
Your tears are made up of three different layers:
a mucous layer to help the tears cover the surface
of the eye, an acqeous layer that provides moisture,
and an oil layer to help prevent evaporation.
When one or more of these layers break down and
are imbalanced, or when your eyes simply do not
produce enough tears, dry spots may appear on
the surface of the cornea (the clear front surface
of the eye).
Dry eye is common among older people or those
who use computers, contact lenses, or certain
medications such as allergy medicines. People
who are exposed to excess amounts of sun, wind,
dust or smoke will often suffer from dry eye syndrome
as well.
Common symptoms may include itching, burning,
redness, blurred vision, a scratchy sensation,
excessive watering, and general irritation and
discomfort after long periods of reading, watching
television, or driving.
Although dry eye syndrome cannot be cured, it
can be treated with lubricating eye drops or certain
oral medications to help alleviate symptoms so
that your vision is not affected. Using a warm
compress and performing lid scrubs two to three
times a day may also help relieve discomfort.
After soaking the eyes with a warm, damp, clean
washcloth for several minutes, use a mixture of
baby shampoo and water to gently scrub the eyelids
and eyelashes to help improve lid hygiene and
relive your symptoms.
If you use contact lenses, it is very important
to follow your doctor's instructions on cleaning
and disinfecting your lenses, since your contacts
can sometimes absorb your tear film and cause
a cloudy protein residue to form on the lens.
Frequent use of artificial tears will help rinse
the eye and provide moisture and relief.
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