Dry eye syndrome: how to recognize and how to take care of the dedication, dried eye syndrome

Feel your eyes dry, irritated, or have the feeling of grains of sand that does not go even by opening and closing the eyelids: if it is not a sporadic episode, but a constant disorder, it can be Dry Eye Disease (Ded). Known as Dry eye syndrome, It is a chronic, multifactorial and highly widespread condition, often underestimated, which affects over 1 person out of 5, especially over 40 women or in menopause (over 90%).
The main cause, in 85% of cases, is the dysfunction of Meibomio glands (MGD – Meibomian Gland Dysfunction), responsible for the production of the lipid film that protects the eye fromtear evaporation.
When the glands are obstructed or inactive, in fact, tears evaporate up to 16 times faster, causing symptoms such as:

– Burn
– blurred vision
– itching
– foreign body sensation
– Persistent annoyance

Because the Dede is becoming a disorder that involves more and more people

«We use practically the many all day device that we have available: mobile phone, computer, tablet: when we look at the screen, we reduce, without realizing it, the frequency of wink », explains the Professor Francesco Bandello, IRCCS Oculistic Primary San Raffaele Hospital And Professor of Ophthalmology Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. «The wink is that activity for which we open and close the eyelids and is fundamental to distribute tears on the eye. If your eyes do not close periodically, this distribution cannot take place. That’s why at the end of a day of work the eyes burning Or, in fact, there is a dry eye of the eye or you have the feeling sand in the eyes “.

Another motivation for which this disorder is increasing as a percentage lies in the use we all do air conditioning in summer and of the High -tied heating In winter. «These are all situations in which the air we come into contact with is extremely dry: Living in an environment excessively dry and without humidity It is associated with one excessive evaporation of tears And therefore aa one condition of dry eye », adds Bandello. «Another cause of the increase in dry eye disorder is then the worsening of the air quality. Where there are Air pollution and smogthe eye is affected and also in this case it scarce it with natural tearing it is associated with high evaporation of the tears themselves “.

Therapies: which they are and when they apply

“If tears are not enough to hydrate the eye, we intervene with a I replaced tear: that is to artificial tears who apply every time the patient has a feeling of dry eye », explains Bandello. However, he continues “when you have the feeling of dry eye, it means that the corneal surface has already undergone alterations due to the fact that tears are missing: therefore the ideal would be instill the tear substitutes (or artificial tears) with one regular frequencywhich, established with the help of the oculist, allows timing that allow you to never get to have that type of sensations due to the dry eye. Objective is to establish a frequency that allows the eye to be able to avoid achieving the condition of corneal suffering “.

The choice of tear substitutes

Young Woman Putting Eye Drops at Homeeternalcreative

There are many hills Based on artificial tears that respond to different needs, with different density: they range from the simplest ones, which have a very fluid consistency (with the advantage of not annoying the patient, but with the disadvantage that their moisturizing effect is shorter) to others much dense and gelatinous, whose effect lasts much longer in contact with the eye, protect for a greater number of hours and consequently allow a smaller number of instillations. “The inconvenience is given by their consistency,” continues Professor Bandello. «When these gel hills are instilled for a few minutes a sense of visual clowning. Usually it is possible to overcome by instilling liquid hills during the day, instead putting the gel in the evening before going to sleep. In more serious cases you can instill another drop of gel in the morning as soon as you wake up, so that during that hour you are at home and prepare to go out, the gel is fluidified. Finally, if you make a “quiet” lunch break, you can also put a drop of gel in this temporal window. In this way it succeeds easier cover most of the hours of the day adequately. There need gel administration can occur in case of Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and after menopause for women, but also for men after 60 – 65 years “.

The new treatment of photobiomodulation

To this type of therapies, advanced and painless treatment has recently been added: the Photobiomodulation with technology LLLT (Low-Level Light Therapy). Initially developed by Nasathe LLLT is already used in other medical areas (dentistry, dermatology) and today it represents a new treatment standard for the MGD. It is a procedure that uses laser light for Stimulate the Meibomio glandsresponsible for the production of the oily component of tears, which therefore protects the hydration of the eyes. “There LLLT (Low-level Light Therapy) is a new therapy for tear dysfunctions of the eye surface, consists of a TInstallment of photobiomodulationwhich uses the lUce close to infrared (red led) Gently triggering the endogenous heating of both eyelids, so as to stimulate and improve cellular metabolism, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress “, explains the Dr. Elena Aimo, Ortottista and Assistant in Ophthalmology, relating to the ophthalmology area of ​​Dr. Angela Fornero of the Examina group of Turin. It is a reliable technique in the results and works every single time, giving immediate relief to the patient ».

The treatment follows a very simple procedure: «provides that the patient wears on the eyes one mask (Meibomask) For 15 minutes », continues Dr. Aimo. «This mask generates a red light (with wavelength certified by medical standards), which warms the eyelids by stimulating cell renewal and stabilizing the tear lipid layer. At the end of the treatment, the patient reports immediate relief ». The treatments come personalized and «To ensure a better benefit, it is advisable to repeat the Seats 4-5 consecutive times with 5-7 days interval. Therapy is totally painlesssimple and safe and guarantees immediate relief ».

The public health facilities in Italy that use the low level laser Therapy (LLLT) to treat the dry eye are limited, but ophthalmic centers and polychers on most of the territory offer it as part of their treatment for the dry eye.