Page 8 - digital-envision05-2021
P. 8

NEW










                                 Approaches









                    DRY EYE DISEASE
               TO






                                                        Cover Story
                                                      By JoAnne Sommers

        D          ry eye disease is an ancient malady, first mentioned in the Ebers   it should be treated to control eye


                    Papyrus, an Egyptian record of herbal knowledge (1550 BC). Yet we  symptoms.
                   still have much to learn about what the Egyptians called “the water
                                                                              Those at greatest risk for DED include
                   within”.
                                                                              contact lens wearers. Cold, dry
          Our understanding of dry eye disease   is counselling patients about what   elderly people, women, Asians and
          (DED) has continually evolved over   their diagnosis means, how treatments   conditions and some medications are
          time. The latest definition came  work, and how they can improve their   contributing factors.
          from the Tear Film & Ocular Surface   condition. It takes time, for instance,
          Society Dry Eye Workshop II (TFOS  to explain why dry eye disease causes   The incidence of DED is rising because
          DEWS II) in 2017:  “A multifactorial   eyes to water.               more people are working from home
          disease of the ocular surface                                       during the pandemic and spending
          characterized by a loss of homeostasis   Evaporative dry eye, the most common   increased time looking at computer
          of the tear film, and accompanied by  type of DED, is caused by meibomian   screens and other digital devices.
          ocular symptoms, in which tear film  gland dysfunction (MGD). The   People stop blinking when staring
          instability and hyperosmolarity,   meibomian glands line the margins  at screens so they don’t replenish or
          ocular   surface   inflammation   of the eyelids and release meibum, a  distribute their tears. Facemasks also
          and damage, and neurosensory   lipid-rich secretion that protects the  exacerbate the problem: exhaling into
          abnormalities play etiological roles.”   ocular surface. When the glands are  a mask creates a draft over the eyes
                                            blocked, the eyelids become sore and  which speeds up tear film evaporation.
          Dry  eye  affects  up  to  70  per  cent  of  swollen, and the eyes feel scratchy, dry  You can prevent that by using a mask
          Canadians, says Dr. Will Ngo, head  and irritated.                  with a well-formed wire that moulds to
          of biosciences at CORE (the Centre                                  your face and tape that keeps air from
          for Ocular Research and Education),   Aqueous-deficient dry eye occurs  escaping.
          University of Waterloo. Most people  when the lachrymal glands don’t
          diagnose themselves after experiencing   produce enough tears. It accounts for  Untreated, DED can create serious
          dry/burning/stinging eyes in windy,  about one-tenth of  DED cases and   problems, increasing the risk of eye
          dry environments, or discomfort   includes Sjögren’s syndrome-related  infections. The eyes may become
          following long periods of reading/  and non-Sjögren’s syndrome-related   inflamed, and there is a greater risk of
          computer use. The challenge for ECPs  DED. If Sjögren’s syndrome is involved,   scratching the cornea. Chronic, serious


       6  /  MAY - JUNE 2021   /   www.ENVISIONMAGAZINE.ca  /
   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13