Dry Eye Syndrome is one of the most common eye conditions. Symptoms of dry eye syndrome include: itchy, dry eyes, blurred vision, a heavy sensation, a feeling that there is something gritty on the surface of the eye, and light sensitivity. Dry eye syndrome can lead to inflammation and damage to the surface of the eye.
Dry eye syndrome stems from an abnormality in any of the 3 components of tears: The components of tears are:
- The oily(lipid) component
- The watery(aqueous) component
- The mucous-like(mucin) component
If these components are not produced in the normal ratio, then dry eye syndrome will result. Most commonly, insufficient lipids will cause the tears to evaporate too quickly; a reaction to this may be for the eye to produce excess tears to attempt to compensate, so sometimes, very watery eyes are actually caused by dry eye syndrome.
Contributing factors
Long hours of computer use, dry environments, contact lens use, advancing age, smoking, a diet too low in healthy fats, certain medications, other health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, diabetes, thyroid conditions, Sjogren’s syndrome(an autoimmune condition which attacks glands responsible for keeping the eyes, mouth and other parts of the body moist and lubricated).
How can dry eye syndrome be treated?
Dry eye syndrome respond well to a combination of specifically tailored acupuncture treatment, specially formulated eye drops, and the appropriate diet and lifestyle changes.
To find out more about how acupuncture can help with your dry eyes, click here
