|
||
|
|
|
|
(ARA) - Are your eyes often dry, itchy and scratchy? Do you experience blurred vision, tired eyes, a burning or stinging sensation, or general discomfort and sensitivity to light? If so, you may suffer from a condition known as dry eye, and you’re not alone. It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of the country’s population suffers from dry eye - the inadequate wetting and lubrication of the eye. The condition rarely causes serious complications, but it should never be ignored. There are effective treatment options for dry eye.
Factors that can contribute to dry eye include smoke, pollution and concentrated near-work such as reading or staring at a computer screen. Hormonal changes, autoimmune diseases, such as Sjogren’s Syndrome, Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis; and certain types of medications, such as antihistamines, antidepressants and hormone replacement, may also be a factor. So can such weather conditions as extreme cold, heat, low humidity and wind. They can cause moisture loss, leading to dry eye. Dry eye is prevalent in winter months, for example, when the air typically is drier.
Regardless of the cause of their condition, dry eye sufferers have abnormal or insufficient tears. Blinking is the body’s natural response to this condition and helps spread moisture over the eye’s surface. The average person blinks eight times a minute, 480 times an hour, nearly 8,000 times a day. Concentrated work such as reading, writing, using a computer or even driving, dramatically decreases these numbers - often by as much as 50 percent. This decrease can lead to cell damage on the surface of the eye.
The thin layer of tears that must constantly be spread across the cornea with each blink, and washed over eyes to keep them moist, is known as the tear film. Ophthalmologists, optometrists and eye care professionals refer to the process of the tear film thinning out as tear film break-up, or TFBUT. Extending TFBUT is key to treating and avoiding dry eye.
Systane Lubricant Eye Drops from Alcon, Inc. has been clinically proven to reduce both clinical signs - including rapid TFBUT, corneal surface damage and tear debris - and symptoms of dry eye. More importantly, Systane provides dry eye sufferers with immediate and long-lasting relief by increasing TFBUT between blinks and helping to repair damaged cells on the surface of the eye.
Protect your eyes from the signs and symptoms of dry eye. Visit your doctor or an eye care professional and inquire about the therapy that is right for you to maximize the health and comfort of your eyes. To learn more about dry eye and Systane Lubricant Eye Drops, visit www.systane.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
