Affecting almost 2 in every 3 people in the UK, Dry Eye is an uncomfortable, irritating, and sometimes quite debilitating condition.
Many people needlessly suffer on a daily basis, and in serious cases, if left untreated, this can be very dangerous to your eye health, and ultimately your vision. The problem? Many are unaware they are experiencing it, or that lasting treatments exist.
They blame symptoms on the weather, allergies, tiredness, stress and ageing, and although these factors can worsen your condition, they are often not the underlying cause.
Symptoms of dry eye include, a burning sensation, scratchy, gritty or irritated feelings, watery eyes and variable blurred vision.
Symptoms can surprisingly also include eyes watering while in windy or cold conditions, waking with excessive ‘sleep’ in your eyes, discomfort when wearing contact lenses, or feeling you have to add eyedrops to revive your eyes in the morning.
Dry eye syndrome is a condition where the eyes do not make enough tears, or the tears evaporate too quickly. This can lead to the eyes drying out and becoming inflamed, or excessively watering as the brain tries to compensate. It is a common condition and becomes more common with age, especially in women.
As a nation, we are suffering more and cases have been steadily increasing from lockdown and beyond as increased screen time heightens your risk.
There are a range of treatments, from eye drops and wipes, to more lasting solutions such as the revolutionary Intense Pulse Light (IPL) Therapy for Dry Eye.
For some, dry eye may only cause mild discomfort, but some people experience more serious problems, and, in some cases, it can cause permanent damage to the eye’s surface, so if you are concerned in any way, it is definitely worth getting checked out.
Not all Opticians practices can offer specialist Dry Eye services, but this is an issue that Eden Eyecare’s Iain Macnish BSc MCOptom DipTp(IP) is particularly passionate about, having studied at one of the best Eye Hospitals in Europe, Moorfields Hospital.
He has seen the worst of what Dry Eye can become when left untreated, both in clinic at Eden Eyecare, and in his work within the A&E Department at The Cumberland Infirmary, and urges anyone that suffers from these symptoms frequently to seek advice and consultation.
“As with all medical conditions, we would strongly advise that you get these checked out as soon as you notice them to avoid further complications in future.
Dry Eye is manageable, and in most cases, easily treatable. We need to make more people aware that they do not have to cope with these symptoms, a Dry Eye specialist can identify the root cause of your problem and treat it effectively. With multiple treatment options available, there will be one that is right for you.”
Eden Eyecare has created a handy Dry Eye Symptoms Checker where you can go online and see if you may be suffering from Dry Eye edeneyecare.co.uk/dry-eye-symptom-checker
In the meantime, here’s some top tips from Eden Eyecare on at-home ways to find relief:
❄️ Blink Breaks: Remember to take regular blink breaks when spending long hours in front of a screen to prevent dry eyes.
❄️ Laugh it out: Experts from China, the US and Queen’s University Belfast examined almost 300 people aged 18 to 45 with dry eye disease, and found that ‘Laughter therapy’ can be almost as effective as eye drops!
❄️ Keep them clean: Clean your eyelids every day to remove any dust, debris and discharge.
❄️ Hydration is Key: Cold air and indoor heating can dry your eyes out. Stay hydrated to maintain the moisture in your eyes.
❄️ Warm compress: Add a lovely soothing warm compress for the eyes to your evening routine and massage gently around the eye area.