DIGITAL EYE STRAIN

What is Dry Eye Disease? Dry eye disease is a common condition that occurs when your tears aren't able to provide adequate protection for your eyes. The majority of cases of dry eye are not caused by a lack of tears, but rather tears that are of poor quality. This causes the tear film (the protective layer on the front of your eye) to become unstable, thus directly exposing your eye to the elements leading to symptoms of stinging, redness, irritation and even blur. The most common cause of dry eye is due to the oil producing glands in your eyelids slowing down, clogging up, and in some cases even dying. This can lead to permanent damage to the cornea, the sensitive front layer of the eye, as well as vision loss. How can I treat Dry Eye? Regular heat and gentle massage are great ways to improve the function of the oil producing glands and promote a healthy tear film. Another great form of treatment is an oil-based eye drop, which supplements the lack of natural oils being produced. Vitamin A is also effective in restoring damaged corneal epithelium. What are some common symptoms of Dry Eye? If you are suffering from the below symptoms, book an appointment with one of our Optometrists today. Optometrist Justin Clunas runs a comprehensive Dry Eye Clinic at our practice, although all of our Optometrists are experienced in treating Dry Eye. Symptoms: • stinging or burning • itchiness (particularly in the corners of the eyes) • fluctuating vision • redness • tired eyes • mucus around the eyelids, particularly upon waking • a feeling of grittiness, or the sensation of something foreign in the eye

Do you suffer from sore, itchy eyes? You may have an allergic Conjunctivitis or Hay Fever of the eyes! At this time of the year (especially with all the dust in the air) a lot of us are suffering from allergic reactions. Allergy reactions in the eye are usually due to airborne allergens, contact allergens, and reactions to allergens associated with various microbial agents (bacteria, viruses etc). Sometimes eye allergies can be due to systemic hypersensitivity. In other words, something that is causing an allergic response in the whole body. Hence the only true way to cure an allergy is either to: 1. Remove the cause of the allergy. This may not always be practical or it may be difficult to isolate a single allergen as the cause. OR 2. Become desensitised to the particular allergen. Course of immunotherapy provided by an allergist may help desensitise the patient to specific allergens, however, may only be considered in severe cases due to the expense and time involved in testing and the treatment. OCULAR ALLERGIES are mainly associated with HAY FEVER. ALLERGEN: Most common agents are pollens, animal hairs or danders, feathers, mould spores, house dust, insects and scents. SYMPTOMS: Patients complain of moderate itching, tearing, burning, and a feeling of pressure behind the eye. A stringy discharge maybe present. The eyes may be red with slight swelling in the lids and small papillae (little bumps) under the top and bottom eye lids. TREATMENT: a) Irrigation at least 5 x daily with lubricating eye drops. Single dose units are very good because they are unpreserved, simple and inexpensive to use. You cannot overuse lubricating eye drops and although they do not cure the allergy they will significantly help alleviate the symptoms. b) You can also apply cold compresses (cold face washer) on the closed eyes to help relieve the itchy discomfort. c) Severe symptoms may need a decongestant / antihistamine eye drop. If you are not sure if you have an allergic conjunctivitis, come in and let us examine your eyes to advise you on the best treatment. You do not need an appointment! We see every sore eye then and there to make sure you do not have any other significant cause of your itchy or sore eyes.