If you experience the irritation of dry eyes — and many people do — here’s a great way to impress (or totally freak out) your friend or significant other. Just use this line:
“I believe I have a case of keratitis sicca.”
Impressive, no? Doesn’t that sound cool?
Actually, keratitis sicca is the medical term for dry eye syndrome, and it’s not cool at all. The most common eye problem in the world, the condition affects more than 10 million people, primarily women, in the United States alone. It’s a real medical condition — not just a mild annoyance or something you should try to ignore. In fact, if left untreated, dry eye syndrome can damage the eye surface, weaken your vision, or even increase your risk of eye infections.
You probably know the common symptoms: dryness, burning, scratchiness, itching, or the feeling that you’ve constantly got specks of dust in your eyes. In some cases, the symptoms are relatively mild, and without much thought, they get chalked up to normal fatigue. In severe cases, the discomfort of dry eyes can be exceptionally frustrating.
So what can be done about dry eye syndrome?
We asked Marc Webb, OD, of Davis Duehr Dean for his thoughts. “In many cases, over-the-counter lubricants provide relief for dry eyes,” he says. “But if the condition continues for more than a few days, it’s time to come in and get checked out. There might be an underlying cause that needs attention.”
Indeed, an over-the-counter eye lubricant can provide immediate relief, feeling like a glass of ice water on a hot summer day. According to Dr. Webb, this type of treatment works well in many cases and offers a good solution to a temporary problem. (It’s important to make sure the product is a lubricant, and not one designed to reduce redness. You don’t want that. If you’re not sure, a pharmacist can help.)
Just as some cases of dry eye syndrome are temporary, others are chronic and can last until properly evaluated and treated by a specialist.
A common cause of chronic dry eyes is blepharitis. That’s the medically official way of saying inflammation of the eyelid. It can be caused by almost anything: An allergic reaction, seasonal allergies, contact lenses, medications, bacteria, and more. When this inflammation occurs, the small gland openings of the eyelid might be blocked or not working properly, preventing important oils and secretions from becoming part of the tear mixture. As a result, tears aren’t produced in sufficient quantity, or they dry too quickly because they’re missing ingredients.
“Fortunately,” says Dr. Webb, “success rates are very high in treating blepharitis. As a result, dry eye syndrome is reduced or eliminated. Sometimes a patient can have great success simply by applying warm compresses. In other cases, we use a gel drop called AzaSite and we’ve seen good success with that. Sometimes, an antibiotic like doxycyclene works well.”
Ocular rosacea is another common culprit that can cause dry eye syndrome, as patients with this condition experience swollen eyelids, redness, and general irritation of the eye. Rosacea sufferers know it’s sometimes difficult to pinpoint the source: Diet, makeup usage, face creams, dehydration and others factors can all play a role in flareups. Sometimes, even minor ocular rosacea is enough to trigger dry eye syndrome.
With many possible causes and levels of severity, ocular rosacea can be perplexing. Certainly, the help of a doctor can make all the difference.
So if you count yourself among the millions of people with cases of dry eye syndrome (or the more formal keratitis sicca) or if you’re using wetting/lubricating drops by the gallon, it’s time to get relief. To see an eyecare pro at Davis Duehr Dean, click here to get started.
“Overall, there are lots of options for the treatment of dry eyes,” says Dr. Webb. “People don’t have to live with it.”
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