Campaign Kit: One Patient's Challenge with Dry Eye
Use the content below to educate your employees about dry eye disease during Healthy Vision Month. Share these resources to promote eye health, encourage regular eye exams, and support overall well-being.
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Happy Healthy Vision Month! Dry eye affects millions. Learn more and keep your eyes healthy. Read More [link to article]
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One of the most common eye conditions, dry eye affects more than 16 million Americans.
Beyond the usual signs and symptoms, the underlying cause of dry eye varies. To get relief, it's important to visit your eye doctor. They can make a dry eye diagnosis, determine the cause, and recommend appropriate treatment.
For Randy, a dry eye diagnosis was the reason for months of chronic eye pain and discomfort.
What Is dry eye disease?
Each time you blink, your eyes produce tears and the fluid spreads over your eyes, keeping them smooth, hydrated, and clear of irritants.
Dry eye, a chronic condition, happens when your eyes don't produce enough tears or there is a deficiency in the quality of your tears.
Symptoms of dry eye disease
Beyond feeling the dryness of your eyes, other signs and symptoms of dry eye disease are:
- Red eyes
- Burning or stinging sensations in the eye
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurry vision
- Headaches.
In addition to these symptoms, Randy soon developed an eye infection that impacted the health of his eye and his vision. The underlying cause—dry eye.
Dry eye causes and risk factors
Common causes of dry eye can include:
- Age. As we age, dry eye becomes a common occurrence, and the chances of experiencing dry eye increases for people over the age of 50.
- Excessive use of screen time.
- Contact lens use.
- Environmental factors, such as exposure to smoke and allergens.
- Certain medical conditions and medications to treat those conditions; such as arthritis, Sjögren's Syndrome, and Lupus.
- Hormonal changes in women, especially during pregnancy and menopause.
In Randy's case, his dry eye was likely due to increased exposure to screen time and age.
Optometrist determines correct diagnosis and treatment
Initially, Randy experienced mild irritation and discomfort in his left eye, but soon, he began to feel pain and his vision became blurry. In fact, when he covered his right eye, Randy couldn't see out of his left eye. That's when he knew he needed to schedule an appointment with his eye doctor right away.
“When Randy first came to see me, he had the typical signs and symptoms of an eye infection,” said VSP® network eye doctor Jennifer Wademan. “My initial concern was clearing up the infection and alleviating his pain.”
After a round of antibiotics, Randy felt relief from the pain, but his vision still had not returned. It was after Dr. Wademan took images of Randy's eye that she knew he was experiencing dry eye.
“Randy's left eye was so dry and gritty, it looked like sandpaper,” said Dr. Wademan. “That's how severe his dry eye was.”
After getting a better idea of Randy's daily activities, Dr. Wademan prescribed Randy eye drops that would help keep his eyes lubricated. In addition, she recommended some lifestyle changes that could help alleviate his symptoms.
Like many of us, Randy spends most of his workday looking at a computer screen. Looking at a screen changes blinking patterns, which may lead to ocular dryness. It's important to take frequent breaks from looking at the computer screen so our eyes can get the moisture they need.
“I will continue to experience dry eye for the rest of my life, but thanks to making lifestyle changes and using my eye drops, I can proactively curb those irritating dry eye symptoms and return to doing the things I love,” said Randy.
Schedule an eye exam today
Dry eye isn't simply an annoying condition. It can have a tremendous impact on your eye health and vision, as well as your quality of life.
It's important to visit your eye doctor annually and, if you're experiencing any concerning symptoms with your eyes, call your eye doctor immediately.
Information received through VSP Vision Care channels is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor, physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
