Dry Eye Syndrome; Facts to Know.* Dry eye syndrome dry eye syndrome Conjunctivitis arida, keratitis sicca, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, xerophthalmia Medtalk Dryness of eyes, often due to ↓ tear secretion Clinical Dry, greasy, thickened and focally denuded cornea, which may progress to keratomalacia, corneal is a group of disorders affecting the tear film.* Nearly 3.2 million American women and more than one million American men age 50 and older suffer from painful and debilitating dry eye syndrome, according to results of a recent study administered by the Schepens Eye Research Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a hospital in the Longwood Area of the Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood of Mission Hill. With Massachusetts General Hospital, it is one of the two founding members of Partners HealthCare. . The condition affects women two to three times more than men. * Dry eye syndrome tends to occur most often in the elderly, especially women. * Although dry eye syndrome can affect vision, it rarely produces permanent vision loss. * Early symptoms of dry eye syndrome may include eye redness, burning, stinging, and/or gritty sensation in the eye, especially in an environment with low humidity; a feeling that something is in the eye; trouble wearing contact lenses; and a gritty feeling that can be persistent and painful. * As dry eye worsens, symptoms become more persistent. Patients with severe cases may also have eyes that are unusually sensitive to light, and may experience severe eye pain, or notice changing or fluctuating vision. * Dry eye can be a symptom of an autoimmune disease called SjA"gren's syndrome that attacks the body's lubricating glands. * Dry eye has no cure, but can be treated. * Over-the-counter artificial tears in eye drop form are the main treatment for dry eye. * Punctal plugs that block tear drainage channels can help conserve tears for dry eye suffers who get no relief from artificial tears. Bensinger, R, MD, FAAO FAAO, n.pr See Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy. , spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and chief of ophthalmology at Swedish Hospital, Seattle, WA. Direct interview. Nov. 6, 2000. "Dry Eye Syndromes, Your Questions Answered." The Schepens Eye Institute, Harvard Medical School. http://www.eri.harvard.edu. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Fact Sheet: The Cornea and Corneal Disease." National Eye Institute. http://www.nei.nih.gov. June 2001. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Frequently Asked Questions About Dry Eye." Prevent Blindness America. http://www.preventblindness.org. Updated May 2003. Accessed Sept. 2003. "Hydroxypropyl Cellulose (Ophthalmic)." Medlineplus Health Information, National Library of Medicine. Updated Sept. 2002. http://www.nlm.nih.gov. Accessed Sept. 2002. Petrauskas, JL, MSPH. "Digging in the Ocular Desert." EyeNet Magazine Online. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.aao.org. July 2000. Accessed Sept. 2003. "Studies Show Promise for Drug to Treat Dry Eye Syndrome." American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.medem.com. News release April 11, 2000. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Dry Eye Syndrome" EyeMDLink. Updated Oct. 2001. http://www.eyemdlink.com. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Conjunctival con·junc·ti·val adj. Relating to the conjunctiva. conjunctival pertaining to or emanating from conjunctiva. congenital conjunctival membrane Histologic Findings of Dry Eye and Non-Dry Eye Contact Lens Wearing Subjects" The CLAO Journal. Jan. 2001. http://www.clao.org. Accessed Sept. 2002. Cross WD et al. "Clinical and Economic Implications of Topical Cyclosporin A for the Treatment of Dry Eye." Managed Care Interface. Vol. 15 (9): 44-9. Sept. 2002. Sullivan DA et al. "Androgen Deficiency, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, and Evaporative Dry Eye." Annals New York Academy of Sciences The New York Academy of Sciences is the third oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, non-profit organization with more than 25,000 members in 140 countries, the Academy’s mission is to advance understanding of science and technology. . Vol. 966: 211-22. June 2002. "LASIK LASIK laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis. LA·SIK n. Eye surgery in which the surface of the cornea is reshaped using a laser, performed to correct certain refractive disorders such as myopia. Safe, Effective in Patients With Dry Eyes" Medscape Medical News. Aug. 16, 2002. http://www.medscape.com. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Hormone Replacement Therapy Hormone Replacement Therapy Definition Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the use of synthetic or natural female hormones to make up for the decline or lack of natural hormones produced in a woman's body. and Dry Eye Syndrome" JAMA. Vol. 286 No. 17, Nov. 7, 2001. http://jama.ama-assn.org. Accessed Sept. 2002. "New Dry Eye Therapy Launched" Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation. 2003. http://www.sjogrens.com. Accessed Sept. 2003. Schaumberg DA, et al. "Prevalence of Dry Eye Syndrome Among US Women" Aug. 2003. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 136:2 : 318-326. Editorial Staff of the National Women's Health Resource Center 2002/03/07 2005/03/16 Tears are what keep your eyes moist, lubricate the surface of the eye for eyelid closure, and guard against infection. They also keep the eyes smooth and clear. Without tears, good vision is impossible. Dry eye syndrome is a group of disorders affecting the film of tears over the eye. Aqueous,Dry eye syndrome,Fluorescein fluorescein /flu·o·res·ce·in/ (fldbobr-res´en) a fluorescing dye; its sodium salt is used as a tracer in retinal angiography and as a diagnostic aid for revealing corneal trauma and fitting contact lenses. Stain Test,Keratoconjunctivitis sicca,Lipid,Mucin,Rose Bengal Test,Schirmer test |
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