Dry eye syndrome, or dry eye disease, is a common condition that occurs when the eyes don't make enough tears, or the tears evaporate too quickly.
The condition is driven by ageing, use of smartphones and computers, as well as some medications that cause dry eye disease as a side effect.
Experts say it is one of the the most common diseases seen by opticians and eye surgeons with patients coming in blinking and rubbing their eyes. However, millions of people just put up with the condition and don’t seek help.
Dr Colin Parsloe said: “Staring at computers, laptops and smart phones for too long results in lack of blinking and then dry eye symptoms.
“Research shows that eye problems are very prevalent in office workers. These are due to temporary eye strain and dry eyes.
“There is a significant economic burden to the UK, each year £68 million is spent on over the counter dry eye products and more than 12 million NHS prescriptions are written,” added Dr Parsloe.
“And international research has also shown that dry eye disease costs companies over £4,500 per office worker as it reduces the person's productivity while at work.”
Experts said the tear-film in the eye has three layers. The major layer is the water layer which is sealed by an overlying oil layer that reduces the rate of evaporation.
Dry eye disease arises when there is a shortage of water being produced, or when the oil layer is of poor quality or quantity.
Evaporation results in the remaining tears becoming concentrated, salty and acidic, causing inflammation and damage to the surface of the eye.
Dr Parsloe said: “We normally blink to refresh our tears once every ten seconds.
“When you concentrate or read from a computer screen or smart device, your blink rate reduces and research evidence shows that some people may only blink after two minutes.
“If you're not blinking then the tears will evaporate from the surface of the eye leaving dry spots resulting in inflammation, redness and pain.
“It’s important to recognise and treat dry eye disease to prevent problems later in life.
“The vast number of cases of dry eye disease result only in occasional pain but it can also be incredibly severe and lead to a significant increase in the risk of infection and possible blindness.
“There is also the increased risk of developing styes and other inflammatory lumps in the eyelids, possibly requiring surgical correction.
Treatment
Dr Parsloe said a hot eye compress, such as the Eye Doctor, heated in a microwave can help the condition.
“This mask has been scientifically proven to provide the required heat for the required time in a safe and effective manner,” he added.Winner of a Queens Award for Enterprise in Innovation, the hot eye compress rehydrating BodyBeads has been designed to fit snugly into the whole eye area.
“The beads naturally absorb moisture from the air when not in use, regenerating them in readiness for the next time the compress is required,” said Dr Pasloe.
The mask costs £19.95 from Boots.
As well as keeping hydrated to help the eyes and soft tissue structures to keep healthy, people should replenish the tear film with a natural eye drops such as A.Vogel Eye Drops.
These eye drops contain Hyaluronic acid which mimics the natural tear film by enhancing hydration of the corneal surface, and Euphrasia which contains tannins that help reduce inflammation in the eye, and caffeic acid that is antiseptic for the eye tissue.
Dr Parsloe also recommended that people should take regular breaks from the screen and remember to change the point of focus from the screen a point more than six metres away, which will help the eye muscles relax.
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