Dry eyes

Introduction Dry eyes are medically referred to as "conjunctival xerostomia". It is not a single disease, but a group of diseases caused by several completely different causes, characterized by dry eyes and less tears. Their causes are different, and the pathological process and clinical manifestations are not the same. "Dry eye syndrome" or dry conjunctiva, keratitis is a disease caused by the lack of quality or quantity of the pre-corneal tear film, the corneal epithelium can not maintain normal function, the tear film is made of extremely thin surface lipid layer 10.5 Mm and a layer of water rich in polysaccharide protein and mucin, the lipid layer has the effect of delaying tear film evaporation.

Cause

The causes of dry eye syndrome are as follows:

1, due to advanced age, lack of sleep, mental stress and other physiological reasons, causing tear quality decline.

2, taking some antihypertensive drugs and some mental stabilizers have an effect on the development of tears, such as taking chlorpheniramine has a harmful effect on tears, and the peace of mind and some contraceptives can reduce the production of tears.

3. Due to long-term computer operation, car driving, reading and other fine work, the number of blinks is reduced, causing tears to decrease.

4, due to their own eye cracks, or the room is dry, etc., causing the evaporation of tears.

5, due to contact lenses, allergic conjunctivitis, air pollution, ultraviolet light and other reasons, resulting in reduced tears, quality decline.

an examination

Related inspection

Chlamydia trachomatis Chlamydia trachomatis IgM and IgG Ultrasound examination of eyeballs and eyelids Anti-SS-A and SS-B antibodies

1. Substantial conjunctival corneal dryness: seen in the sacral conjunctiva, the bulbar conjunctiva extensive scar, destroying the secretory gland of the conjunctiva itself and even the lacrimal gland, tear duct. Such as severe trachoma, heat or chemical extensive burns, severe chronic conjunctivitis, pemphigus and so on.

2. Oral-eye dryness-arthritis syndrome (or "dry eye syndrome"): This is an unclear disease that has been found in recent years and may be due to an abnormality of the innate immune system. Mainly manifested as dry keratoconjunctivitis, dry mouth, and connective tissue disease (most commonly rheumatoid arthritis).

3. Conjunctival epithelial dryness: This is one of the eye manifestations of vitamin A deficiency. The cause of vitamin A deficiency is mainly due to the large consumption of vitamin A in the body and the low intake. It is more common in infants and young children who are improperly fed artificially. When they are malabsorbed or suffer from measles, pneumonia, diseases, diarrhea and other consumptive dysentery, they are very likely to occur. Adults are more common in patients with advanced liver cancer, cirrhosis and long-term chronic digestive diseases.

Differential diagnosis

Identification of dry eye and trachoma:

There are 5 main signs of trachoma. A trachoma patient can have more than one sign at the same time. The WHO has established a simplified grading system for identifying and naming these signs.

(1) trachoma inflammation - follicle (TF): This is the first sign of trachoma, the most common in children, with red eyes, sticky objects, itchy eyes, eye pain and other discomfort, eyelid conjunctival surface (turning over the eyelids) A small white spot for the follicle.

(2) Dense eye damage - inflammation (TI): When the upper eyelid conjunctiva is severely red and swollen, and the inflammatory thickening causes the blood vessels to be blurred, the second individual has a dramatic trachoma-inflammation (TI).

(3) trachoma scar (TS): After repeated infection, the third individual sign, that is, the conjunctival surface of the eyelid, has a scar sign. The orbital conjunctiva looks like a white stripe.

(4) Trachoma trichiasis (TT): When the scar causes the inner layer of the eyelid to thicken and the shape of the eyelid changes, it pulls the eyelashes downward to point to the eyeball, and the eyelashes rub the cornea. This is called trichiasis, that is, the fourth individual has trachoma. Trichiasis (TT).

(5) Corneal opacity (CO): If the trigone continues to rub the cornea, it seems that the cornea should be clear and the keratitis of the cleft part. The tear film rupture time of this disease is shortened, which can cause filamentous keratitis and keratoconjunctivitis, which is manifested by the reduction of tears at the edge of the gingival margin. In Schirmer's experiment, the amount of tears is reduced. This disease is often manifested in the elderly with special diseases, but most of them are common in the eye part of Sjogrens syndrome. Sjogrens syndrome includes: dry mouth, dry eyes and arthritis. It can also occur in many autoimmune diseases, and systemic diseases such as sarcoma and Waldenstroms macroglobulinemia.

The treatment is replaced by artificial tears, which can be worn on a severe patient or blocked by small tears.

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.