Common symptoms such as burning and itching in the eyes may be behind a more serious problem, which requires specialist care. And the persistence of these symptoms can disable many routine activities.
Dry eye syndrome is closely linked to lifestyle and conditions that make the formation of tears difficult, such as climate, exposure to screens and even some medications.
“The main complication is the huge impact on the patient’s quality of life. This discomfort can be very impactful and even disabling daily activities,” he explained to CNN Radio Monica Alves, professor at the Department of Ophthalmology at Unicamp and Ambassador of the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society.
“Some cannot keep their eyes open for a long time, stay in an air-conditioned environment, do reading or computer activities because their eyes are too uncomfortable.”
Factors such as the continuous use of screens have made the disease – which was more associated with aging – increasingly common in young people.
The persistence of symptoms is a sign that specialist treatment is necessary.
“It’s not just about dropping eye drops without knowing what’s happening, you have to look for an ophthalmologist to diagnose it, because every eye symptom is a warning sign,” said Monica Alves.
Treatment varies greatly from patient to patient, which reinforces the importance of consulting a specialist.
“The first thing is to understand the factors that lead to or worsen the condition, and the second step is to replace that missing tear. And it’s important to understand whether what’s missing is water or oil from the tears. There are ways to replace these components precisely according to what the patient presents”, he explains.
In extreme cases, only surgical procedures are able to alleviate discomfort and prevent complications. Prolonged dryness of the cornea can lead to injuries, perforations and infections.
See also: Tiktoker reveals vision loss from scratching his eye
Posted by Amanda Sampaio of CNN.
Source: CNN Brasil
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