Johns Hopkins Health Alert
Coping With Dry Eye
If you're one of the approximately five million Americans who suffers with dry eye syndrome, you know if can affect everything you do – even driving. Now a report in the American Journal of Ophthalmology takes a closer look at this troublesome, but often overlooked condition.
Dry eye affects quality of life. That's no surprise to people who have dry eye syndrome, a condition that affects the amount of tears produced as well as the quality of the tear film that covers the front part of the eye.
In a study reported in the American Journal of Ophthalmology (Volume 143, page 409), researchers reviewed questionnaire responses from 690 participants, age 49 or older, in the Women's Health Study and the Physicians' Health Study, a third of whom were identified clinically as having dry eye or severe symptoms of dry eye.
They found that people with dry eye syndrome who were not using artificial tears had five times as many difficulties with everyday tasks as those without dry eye syndrome. Although individuals with dry eye syndrome who were using artificial tears had some improvement, these individuals still reported three times as many difficulties with everyday tasks as those without dry eye syndrome. Also of concern are the possible effects of dry eye syndrome on vision while driving: a reduced ability to see contrasts, an increased sensitivity to glare, a fluctuating clarity of vision.
Currently, dry eye syndrome affects almost five million people age 50 or over in the United States. And yet, according to this study, because dry eye doesn't lead to blindness, doctors may overlook its potentially serious effect on day-to-day life. If your eyes feel dry, tired, and irritated or if your vision seems unstable, see your eye doctor so he or she can determine if you have dry eye syndrome and help minimize its effect on your daily life.
Posted in Vision on February 27, 2009
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joan horton, check out the website dryeyezone.com !!!! it saved me. highly regarded by opthalmologists and dry eye sufferers like ourselves. i can't thank rebecca, who administers the site, enough for the help i have received. good luck!!!!
Posted by: roro2 | February 27, 2009 11:30 AM
Thank you so much for the web sight dryeyezone.com You are so NICE!!!!!
Posted by: Joan Horton | February 27, 2009 3:13 PM
If you have dry eye, let me tell you what got rid of mine almost entirely. I started on a supplement of Ocean Essentials (fish oils), they were to help with my all-around health. I get them from my son who is an IBO with Amway Global. And unexpectedly..........I found that I was no longer needing my eye drops (I was using gel-drops 5-10times a day)!! I told the eye doctor, and he said, " Oh yes, I guess that could help." What do they know? What have you got to lose, a healthy heart and NO MORE DRY EYES!
Posted by: Pauline Gough | February 27, 2009 3:29 PM
I have Dry Eye and have had great luck with OPTIVE, othes I have tried either stung or just didn't work at all. Optive is by far my choice.
Sandyg
Posted by: sandyg | February 28, 2009 10:18 AM
Yes, I have dryeyes, too, and use drops almost hourly. My problem is mainly light sensitivity. It gets very severe at times. Any help?
Posted by: Mary Ann Calmes | March 5, 2009 2:09 PM
Yes, I have dryeyes, too, and use drops almost hourly. My problem is mainly light sensitivity. It gets very severe at times. Any help?
Posted by: Mary Ann Calmes | March 5, 2009 2:09 PM
... A bland and uninformative article.
Posted by: etq2000 | October 13, 2009 5:48 AM
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I was so excited to see the article about dry eye, but upon reading it I was left with just as many questions. I was hoping it would reveal some methods to relieve this condition other then liquid tears, already prescribed by my eye doctor with little to no results(no matter which brand I try, and I have tried many). If you have any further info or methods that work for you please let me know. HELP!
Posted by: Joan Horton | February 27, 2009 7:39 AM