Is There A Dry Eye In The House? Treatment Options Provide Relief (NAPSA)—Marilyn Alexander, a flight attendant, thought that her dry, irritated eyes were the result of the hours she spends working in dry cabinair. It did not seem serious until the condition began to affect several aspects of herlife. “I was using artificial tears many times a day andthere didn’t seem to be any improvement,” said Alexander. “In addition to the @ untreated, could progress, causing permanentvision impairment.” There are many possible causes. An inflammatory process in the eye tissues is an important underlying cause, which may be brought on by hormonal or neuronal factors. Dry eye is also asso- ciated with certain autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjgren’s syndrome or discomfort I felt at work, I was lupus, and the risk for dry eye puter, I was not reading for plea- the individual(e.g., aging or meno- having trouble using the comsure as much as I had been and I was having problems driving at night.” Like nearly four in 10 Americans, Alexander suffers from symptoms of dry eye, one of the most common eye-related complaints, accounting for nearly onefourth of all ophthalmological office visits. “Dry eye is more than uncom- fortable for patients. Many have to make significant changes to their daily lives to manage their symptoms,” said Marguerite McDonald, M.D., FACS, a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the Tulane University Health Sci- increases with factors related to pause) and the environment (e.g., exposure to wind). Many people who have had LASIK surgery also report dry eye symptoms. There is no definitive test for dry eye and certain other conditions mimic its symptoms. Until recently, treatment options were largely limited to temporary symptom relief, such as artificial tears and lifestyle modifications. During the last decade, new treatments have been developed tar- geting underlying causes of the disease. One example is a prescription eyedrop (cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion) containing cyclosporine A. It helps the eyes ences Center, New Orleans and member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “Dry eye refers to a group of disorders resulting from reduced tear production, excessive tear evaporation or increase natural tear production. occur only sporadically, after exposure to tobacco smoke, wind or thalmologist (Eye M.D.) for a abnormal tear composition. It may hot, dry air. But it can be a chronic condition and, if left Surgical treatments may be used on patients who do not respond adequately to medical approaches. If you suspect you have dry eye or if you use artificial tears three or more times a day, visit an ophdiagnosis. For more information, visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology at aao.org.
