Eye Doctor Edmonton | Common Questions About Dry Eye Syndrome

Eye Doctor Edmonton | Common Questions About Dry Eye Syndrome

While the majority of adults experience symptoms of dry eye at some point in their life says eye doctor Edmonton. The instance of adults with dry eye syndrome in Alberta is much higher. Due to the dry climate people experience.

Therefore, many people often have a lot of questions associated with dry eye symptoms for their eye doctor Edmonton. Understanding the answer to these questions, can help others understand if they have dry eye syndrome. And what they can do to help.

The first question that patients have when they hear about dry eye syndrome, is what is dry eye syndrome? Ultimately, dry eye syndrome is a name for the condition where the body either does not produce enough tears. Or it does not produce good quality tears.

Tears provide an extremely important function for a person’s eyes. One of the first things that it is responsible for, is providing nutrients to the eye. In order to keep it in good health.

Tears also help flush away bacteria as well as foreign bodies. So that people can keep their eyes healthy. And to avoid having foreign bodies that may impede vision.

But also, eye doctor Edmonton says tears are required for vision. Because it will allow the light to pass through the surface of the eye easily. Which is important for people to be able to see clearly.

If a person does not have enough tears, or their eyes are not lubricated. The surface of their eye will look rough, and when light passes through that rough surface. Light bounces around, and causes blurred vision.

This is why many people who are experiencing dry eye symptoms. Often say that their eyes feel driest at the end of their day. Or their eyes are blurry after using the computer for several hours.

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The next question that patients often have when learning about dry eye syndrome. Is what are symptoms of dry eye syndrome?

This is an extremely important one for people to know. Especially because a lot of the symptoms that are associated with dry eye syndrome are not obviously related to dry eyes.

Some symptoms include burning, itchiness and redness in the eyes. And allowing people to feel like they have a foreign body in their eye, or feeling like they have sandpaper in their eyes.

While these are the symptoms that are most obviously associated with dry eyes. There are other symptoms people need to be aware of as well.

Other symptoms are blurred vision, and excessive tearing. People may be very confused when they hear that blurred vision is a symptom of dry eyes. But the reason why, is because dry eyes will cause the light to bounce around as it passes through the surface of the eye. Which causes blurred vision.

And excessive tearing happens when people have dry eyes. Because when people do not produce enough tears, or a poor quality of tears and their eyes do not end up lubricated. The body issues a reflex response, that floods the eyes with tears to help lubricate the eyes.

However, the tears that the body floods the eyes with are not lubricating tears. Therefore, it does little in helping lubricate the eyes long term.

When patients can understand what dry eye syndrome is. And what the symptoms are. They will be able to get the help they need in order to get treatment to minimize symptoms and be able to see easily and feel comfortable again.

Eye Doctor Edmonton | Common Questions About Dry Eye Syndrome

Even though many people are suffering with symptoms of dry eye syndrome says eye doctor Edmonton. They may not realize what the cause is. Or what they have to do in order to minimize the symptoms.

Therefore, when people can understand some of the causes and treatments for dry eye syndrome. They can end up getting the help they need, in order to be comfortable and see clearly.

One of the first questions that eye doctor Edmonton gets from people who have dry eye syndrome. Is what are some causes for dry eye syndrome?

There are a lot of environmental causes for this syndrome. And in Alberta, dry climate is one of the most common ones. The dry air causes tears to evaporate quickly off of a patient’s eye. And they are not able to produce enough tears fast enough to lubricate their eye.

Other environmental causes for dry eye syndrome include being around smoke or fumes for an extended period of time. As well as excessive computer use, age, and even the some medical conditions.

The medical conditions that are more likely to cause dry eyes include thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis as well as many different inflammatory conditions.

While these are environmental factors, there are also some specific causes of dry eye syndrome. Such as getting eyelash extensions and people who tattoo eyeliner on.

The next question that patients have is are there any diagnostic tests available to diagnose dry eye syndrome? Fortunately, eye doctors have a lot of different diagnostic tests that they can use to help diagnose people with this syndrome.

The first thing they will do is take history, and test the modality of a patient’s tears. In order to see if the tears are normal.

They will also be able to test the tier production as well as tear evaporate rate. And look at the cells of a patient’s cornea under a microscope.

Often, the cause of dry eye syndrome is in the tier producing glands, and eye doctor Edmonton can easily see if there is atrophy in those glands, or hypertrophy. Both which can cause the tear ducts to be blocked.

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All of these things together will provide the doctor with insight as to whether a patient has dry eye syndrome. And depending on the causes, can come up with several different treatments.

The next question that patients often have is, how do you treat dry eye syndrome? One of the first things that eye doctor Edmonton will suggest, is treating the environmental factors first.

Because even if they take a more aggressive approach with eyedrops and medication. Those treatments are less likely to work well. If the environmental factors have not been changed.

If patients are living in a dry climate such as Alberta, using humidifier can be extremely beneficial. The recommendation is to use one at home, as well as at work if possible. Another way to combat the symptoms, is to limit exposure to smoke or fumes.

If people smoke, quitting smoking is highly recommended. And if people live in a home where people smoke inside, asking them to smoke outside can be very helpful.

In addition to that, taking a lot of breaks when using computers, drinking lots of water, and eating foods rich in omega-3. Can all be very beneficial at combating the symptoms associated with dry eye naturally.

When patients understand more about dry eye syndrome. What causes it, and how to treat it. They will often be able to minimize symptoms on their own. So that they can see clearly and become trouble.