If we define Nirvana as freedom from pain or simply as liberation from feelings, then it is clear that in all probability Siddhartha should not suffer from dry eyes! Let us discover the causes and symptoms with Dr. Carlo Frontini, an ophthalmologist at Humanitas Mater Domini .
Poor or altered production of tears (respectively, hypolacrimia and dryness) reduces the capacity for attention and concentration causing difficulties to perform even the simplest tasks and routine, impairing the quality of life and limiting social relationships.
Dry eye: what are the symptoms?
How many times, after working too many hours on the computer, do you experience discomfort in the eyes? Or, do you feel sensations such as eye fatigue, and itching more frequently?
This is called the “dry eyes syndrome”, a condition much more common than you might think and it is steadily increasing, especially in recent years. Burning, redness, photophobia, foreign body perception, clouding of vision, and real, physical eye pain are some of the most common symptoms dry eyes syndrome.
At the base of a lacrimal dysfunction there is the presence of an unstable lacrimal film, which is caused by an altered quantity, quality or diffusion of the different components of the tears.
When one focuses on an activity involving sight such as reading, driving or computer use, they tend to blink less frequently than they would in normal conditions, thus depriving the eyes of a renewed tear film. The lacrimal film, a film of liquid that is renewed with each blink, is composed of three layers that coexist in a harmonious way: deep mucous, intermediate aqueous and lipid surface, and covers of the ocular surface, or the part of the eye that is in contact with the atmosphere (the air, including pollutants or allergens),” – says Dr. Carlo Frontini, an ophthalmologist at Humanitas Mater Domini.
The importance of tears
Therefore, one may understand how important an intact and healthy tear film is for eye health, given its multiple functions: lubricant, protective cover and dioptre. Consequently, it plays a key role in the defence against infection, in the nutrition of the corneal epithelium, and in protection from chemical and physical abuse. The use of computers, exposure to sun and wind, inflammation of the eyelids, certain medications or certain medical conditions such as arthritis or other autoimmune diseases can cause or contribute to the cause of this problem, and they are never to be underestimated.
The persistence of tear damage is, in fact, created over time as a state of chronic inflammation that creates a vicious circle of self-preservation of the problem, which is increasingly worsening. Even DIY therapy or home remedies is not a good choice for treatment (preservatives found in some eye drops are harmful!), threatening to worsen or otherwise does not resolve the situation.
“A specialist visit to an eye specialist may be necessary to estimate the damage and the severity of the alteration, to assess the cause of the discomfort and to establish the proper treatment, in order to enable the patient to address the activities of daily life free from a problem that is often misunderstood and underestimated, and limits the quality of life,” – said the specialist.
