Dry eye, as obvious as the name suggests, is when the eyelids are lubrication deficit. Though scientists predict that 1 in 5 people have dry eyes nowadays, the concept of dry eye began thousands of years ago. The first known record of any ocular lubrication dates back to 1550BC where Egyptian documents detailed tears as “the water within” thus establishing a relatively developed understanding of the ocular anatomy considering the time. Despite this, any form of ocular care wasn’t developed for thousands of years later in the mid-1850s.
Though the people of the “Common Era” evidently lacked the ability to effectively diagnose and treat dry eye as we would today, they outlined the correlation between lubrication of the eye and dry eye. In light of this, and including their prohibited ability, they were unsuccessful in developing a form of artificial lubrication for the eye and thus created a tear secretion mechanism. As the name suggests, it acted to increase the productivity of the tear glands within our eyes so that our tears act as constant and permanent lubrication, a temporary cure of course.
But what actually is Dry Eye?
Though there are breakthroughs in the anatomy of the eye as well as many other areas every day, this is the best information from the best sources. Our eyelids, when shut, slide on a compound consisting of oil, water and mucus across the ocular surface of our eyes. Whilst these compounds lubricate the eye, Dry Eye is when the water within that compound evaporates at an accelerated rate, thus meaning the eye becomes “Dry.” This is, however, not the only cause of dry eye, there are a wide variety of factors to include, the second most important being the environment. Environmental factors such as wind, sun, heat, air conditioning and many more all contribute to the severity and volatility of Dry Eye. People with Dry Eye will normally describe their eyes as irritating, scratchy, sore, red or painful.
How can we combat Dry Eye quickly and effectively?
The first step in combating any ocular issues is maintaining a strict cleaning routine. We recommend using Blephclean, its specialised formula for Blepharitis is ideal for ensuring your eyes maintain top quality hygiene, simply one wipe in the morning and one before bed. This will ensure that any bacterial growth on or in the eye is reduced aiding in eyes recovery. In addition, we highly recommend our premium Thealoz Duo, a third-generation preservative-free eye lubrication drop, it’s our go-to product for improving Dry Eye conditions - suitable for contact lenses wearers and non-contact lenses wearers.
Lastly, it is important to assess your day-to-day environment. Do you have the heating on full, or air conditioning on in the car? Are you blinking enough, or staring into your computer without giving your eyes enough rest? Are you eating a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit and omega oils? Are you getting enough rest? It is always important to treat the cause as well as the condition.