Dry eye,very frequently encountered,concerns a group of diseases during which either the quantity, the quality, or the distribution of tears is disturbed.
Symptoms vary:
Dry eyes can manifest as stinging, burning sensations, foreign body sensations, eye fatigue.
Symptoms can increase during the day.
Sometimes, this irritation can paradoxically lead to tearing, but these tears are not of good quality.
Finally, dry eyes can lead to pain, photophobia and even loss of vision.
What causes dry eyes?
A lack of tear production can be caused by:
Hormonal changes: menopause, menstruation, pregnancy.
Autoimmune diseases, such as Sjögren's syndrome.
Side effects of certain medications, such as antihistamines, contraceptives, neuroleptics, antidepressants, acne treatments, eye drops with preservatives,
Eye inflammation, such as in allergies.
After refractive surgery, dry eyes may appear temporarily.
Anomaly of the lacrimal gland, often related to age.
The cause of excessive tear evaporation can be:
Blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids),
Frequent blinking abnormalities when working in front of the screen,
Environmental factors, such as smoke, air conditioning,
Prolonged wear of contact lenses.
L’examen d’un œil atteint de syndrome sec commence par l’interrogatoire à la recherche de médicaments tels les neuroleptiques, antihistaminiques ou antidépresseurs tricycliques.
On cherchera également un syndrome de Gougerot-Sjögren.
L’œil est ensuite soumis à un examen quantitatif d’humidification par dépôt d’une bandelette de papier filtre au contact de l’œil et de a paupière inférieure (test de Schimer).
Support varies depending on the case:
First, artificial tears will be used (we recommend the single-dose presentation in order to avoid the preservatives contained in classic multi-dose bottles), then ophthalmic gels which offer slower but more effective penetration for advanced syndromes.
At an even more advanced stage, the surgeon can suggest the placement of silicone plugs at the level of the two tear outlets, but this technique is sometimes confronted with infections or rejection problems.
