Dry Eye "Dry Eye Syndrome" Treatment

Dry Eye Can Now Be Treated with Laser.

Every time we blink, our tears wash our eyes and create a clear surface. Reflex  tears, on the other hand, occur when a foreign object or chemical substance comes into contact with the eye, or during emotional changes (joy-sadness).

Situations where tears are insufficient are referred to as "Dry Eye Syndrome" in ophthalmology. Dry Eye Syndrome is among the most common diseases encountered and treated by eye doctors.

Tears make the surface of the eye smooth, providing oxygen passage and nourishing the cornea. With each blink, the eyelids spread tears across the corneal surface and push them towards the two small drainage channels in the corner of the eye, known as tear ducts, and towards the nose.

Dry eye has become a very common problem in recent years, which is extremely disturbing and seen in many people. The leading factors in this increase are; long-term use of contact lenses, ventilation conditions in offices or homes, computer use and changing weather conditions…

This discomfort can reach a level that impairs people's quality of life. Special attention should be paid to this, especially when using contact lenses. Contact lens users should have their corneas and tear condition checked by their doctor at regular intervals. One of the causes of dryness is aging. It is frequently seen in women after menopause. The number of blinks decreases while reading or working on the computer, and we keep our eyes open for longer, which causes dry eyes. To relax our eyes, we need to rest our eyes and blink at regular intervals.

Symptoms:

Burning, stinging, grittiness, redness, excessive tearing, occasional pain... It is a discomfort that increases especially after reading, watching TV, looking at smartphones too much, or working on the computer.

Op. Dr. Sinan Göker and his team state that a permanent improvement in dry eye can be achieved in a total of 4 sessions with a 10-minute laser application, using a technique they have recently started applying in our country. With this laser technique, the glands that secrete oil into the tears at the base of the eyelashes are activated to fight dryness.

Dr. Göker said, “Stating that there is no complete cure for dry eye, some relief could be achieved with some medications and applications such as silicone plugs (punctal plugs) until now. It was also difficult to apply myopia laser treatment to patients with dry eyes. Thanks to this laser technique that we have recently started to apply, a permanent improvement in dry eye can now be achieved.”

In the diagnosis of dry eye syndrome, the patient's tear amount and quality, eyelash base hygiene, and corneal surface are evaluated. First of all, a treatment plan is planned to eliminate the cause of dry eye, if any. Systemic diseases that may cause dry eye should be treated. Rheumatic diseases are the leading systemic diseases.

Eyelid disorders can also frequently cause dry eyes. Dry eye can occur, especially in those who leave their eyes open while sleeping.

If tears are lacking, tear deficiency is eliminated with eye drops, or tear duct plugs are used to allow tears to remain on the corneal surface for a longer time.

To protect against dry eye syndrome;

Regular eye examinations, drinking plenty of water, consuming foods containing omega 3, avoiding prolonged stays in air-conditioned or dry environments, using protective glasses in the wind, avoiding excessively smoky environments, and avoiding continuous contact lens use are recommended.

Artificial tear drops, gels and ointments are most frequently used in the treatment of dry eye. By closing the opening of the canal through which tears flow into the nose with plugs called punctal plugs, the amount of tears remaining on the eye surface can be increased. Finally, the laser method we apply is one of the treatments with the most effective results.