Dry eye is one of the most common complaints today. This disease, which most of us feel the symptoms of but postpone the treatment process, even leads to depression when not resolved. Dry eye, which occurs with activities such as spending time in front of the screen for a long time, looking at the phone, is increasing rapidly. Ophthalmology and Retinal Surgery Specialist Prof., who made explanations about the causes of dry eye and the precautions we can take. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil gave information about the new techniques and technologies applied in the treatment process.
DECREASE IN QUALITY OF VISION AND BLURRED VISION ARE COMMON FINDINGS
Stating that findings such as decrease in vision quality and blurred vision are frequently encountered due to dry eye, Prof. Dr. Göçgil said, “There is an outer layer that protects the front part of our eyes from external factors such as dust, wind and some microorganisms. This layer keeps our eyes wet and regulates the moisture balance. Dry eye, which occurs as a result of irregularity or deficiency in this region, manifests itself with some complaints. Dry eye is a disease that occurs due to insufficient secretion of our tears or, more often, the increase in evaporation of tears due to environmental factors. Our tears nourish our cornea, moisturizing the surface cells, and our cornea becomes a smooth optical surface. Contrary to popular belief, our tears are not just water; It consists of 3 separate components: oil, water and mucus. Deficiency in one of these components causes rapid evaporation of our tears, unequal feeding of our cornea and thus dry eyes. he said.
“DRY EYE IS A GROWING PUBLIC PROBLEM”
Stating that dry eye is a growing public problem, Prof. Dr. Göçgil said, “In studies conducted in the USA, it has been observed that the disease affects approximately 5 million people aged 50 and over. Dry eye disease is one of the most common ocular surface diseases in the world. The prevalence rate of the disease has been reported to reach a serious rate of about 4.4 percent to 50 percent among middle-aged and elderly people worldwide.
IT MAY OCCUR WITH REASONS DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND THE PATIENT ITSELF
Stating that dry eye may occur due to environmental and patient-related reasons, Prof. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil said, “Today, the most common causes of dry eye are situations such as spending long hours in front of screens such as computers and phones, not using contact lenses correctly, not having sufficient humidity balance in the working environment, working under very high light and bright light. On the other hand, rheumatic diseases, hormonal drugs used for hormonal disorders, post-menopausal periods in women, antihistamines and various drugs used to prevent other diseases, depression drugs also cause dry eyes. He added that aging can also cause eye dryness as it reduces the amount of tear secretion.
IT DEEPLY AFFECTS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE
Adding to his words that dry eye affects our quality of life deeply, Prof. Dr. Göçgil said, “Patients with dry eyes feel difficulty in activities they used to comfortably do. Patients who state that their eyes begin to tire very quickly and feel the need to rest, state that they are not as comfortable in front of the computer as they used to be, and they also complain of eye pain, light sensitivity, frequent watering in their eyes, itching and redness due to irritation. The complaints frequently expressed by our patients with dry eyes are stinging in the eyes, burning in the eyes and foreign body sensation in the eyes. used the expressions
“CAN EVEN CAUSE PATIENTS TO GET DEPRESSION”
Underlining that dry eye is a very disturbing condition, Ophthalmology and Retinal Surgery Specialist Prof. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil said, “Even though dry eyes seem simple, it causes deterioration in productivity and loss in quality of life. If this disease is not treated, it can damage the cornea and cause serious problems such as eye infection. Dry eye, which has negative effects on the psychology of patients due to negative results and complaints that do not go away, can even cause patients to become depressed. Research shows this as well. Considering all these issues, it is important that people who use contact lenses and have diabetes, especially those who feel symptoms, have regular eye checks.” made the statement.
IS THERE A TREATMENT FOR DRY EYE?
Stating that the main purpose in the treatment of dry eye disease is to repair the damage in the eye, to alleviate the symptoms that cause the discomfort and to allow the eye to regain its former health. Dr. Göçgil said, “We can consider the treatment methods of the disease under three headings as medical, punctal occlusion and surgical treatment. The first step routinely in dry eye is to try to maintain the moisture balance in the eyes with artificial tear drops. However, antibiotic-based solutions should be used in cases of infection. Treating the infection at the base of the eyelashes, which often accompanies, increases the success. In cases where the desired result cannot be obtained despite the drops, gels or oral supportive treatments depending on the severity of the dry eye, the method we call punctal occlusion can be applied. This method is applied in order to close the small opening on the inner edges of the eyelids that allows the tears produced by our body to flow into the nose. In cases where all these processes are not sufficient and the lids remain open and cannot be closed completely, surgical intervention can be applied. said.
METHODS OF PROTECTING DRY EYE
Stating that it is possible to alleviate the symptoms of dry eye with minor changes in lifestyle, Prof. Dr. Nur Acar Göçgil made the following warnings:
“The biggest reason for dry eyes is the inability to balance the moisture in the eye. Therefore, in order to maintain the humidity value in the environment, closed areas should be ventilated frequently, and long-term use of air conditioners should be avoided. In the case of computer use that requires long-term focus, our eyes should be rested at regular intervals.
We should not forget that our water consumption, which is the basic condition for the protection of the health of our body, is also of great importance for our eye health. That’s why we have to be mindful of our water consumption. We should use sunglasses in windy and sunny weather to protect the humidity of our eyes.
Smoking is one of many health problems. Prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke also increases the risk of dry eyes. We must use our contact lenses in accordance with the instructions and taking into account the hygiene conditions. Sleeping with our lenses at night can increase symptoms. Again, attention should be paid to the cleanliness and hygiene of the eyelashes; The eye area should not be touched or itchy without washing hands. The hygiene of make-up materials should also be taken into account, and make-up products should be carefully cleaned every night.
If dry eyes are accompanied by dry mouth, necessary tests should be performed, keeping in mind that the cause of this condition may be due to rheumatological diseases.
It should be kept in mind that dry eye can accompany other eye diseases. For this reason, we need to perform our routine eye examinations at least once a year.”
