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.
It is a common condition and becomes more common with age, especially in women.
Eye care specialist and optometrist Francesca Marchetti from Rohto Dry Aid said: “Having dry eyes can make your eyes water more than usual while feeling itchy and gritty.
“These are the three most common symptoms.
“However, dry eye sufferers experience other symptoms too, including soreness, tired eyes, stinging, burning and a scratchy feeling in the eye.
“Blurred vision can occur too, often first thing in the morning.”
Dry eye syndrome causes
Conditions increasing dry eye syndrome include:
- Blood pressure medication
- Menopause
- Central heating
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Thyroid conditions
- Sjogren’s syndrome.
According to research, women are more likely to suffer with eye issues than men.
In a real-world survey for Rohto Dry Aid statistics included:
- More than half of women (53.1%) suffered from sore eyes compared with 41.4% of men
- Stinging eyes is a symptom for 32.6% of women compared with 18.4% of men
- Six out of ten women (60.3%) suffer from tired eyes compared with 40.3% of men
- Burning sensation was evident for 20.0% (women) versus 14.14% (men).
Menopause
Not many women know that menopause can affect your eyes.
The fluctuations in hormones result in irritated, dry, red and/or itchy eyes in over 60% of perimenopausal and menopausal women.
Known as chronic dry eye, if left untreated, it can seriously affect your vision and overall health of the eyes.
Dry eye can be caused by long hours spent at screens, so taking regular breaks from your computer every 20 minutes is vital.
You can try something known as the 20-20-20 screen break rule.
“Treating dry eye is vital and my treatment choice is Rohto Dry Aid as it is a clinically proven with a unique Tearshield Technology formulation and is designed with a range of ingredients to provide the protection and hydration required to tackle dry spots and restore the layers of the natural tear film - which breaks the cycle of dry eye," adds Marchetta.
“Every 20 minutes look 20 feet away and blink 20 times as blinking helps the flow of tears over the surface of the eyes.
She added: “To protect your eye health, it’s important not to ignore dry eye symptoms as more than a fifth of people with dry eye end up with severe dry eye disease, which ultimately will affect night vision, reading and driving.
“Remember hormonal changes before and during the menopause, long screen hours and regular use of antihistamines, antidepressants and diuretics, all affect the amount of moisture in the eye, so make sure you look out for dry eye symptoms so you can treat the issue fast.”
