Dry Eye Syndrome is a chronic lack of sufficient lubrication and moisture on the ocular surface of the eye. The symptoms range from scratching, burning, constant irritation, foggy vision, discomfort with visual tasks and redness.
Causes
Dry eye syndrome has several causes. It occurs as a part of the natural aging process, especially during menopause; as a side effect of many medications, such as antihistamines, antidepressants, certain blood pressure medicines, Parkinson's medications and birth control pills; or because you live in a dry, dusty or windy climate.
If your home or office has air conditioning or a dry heating system that too can dry out your eyes. Another cause is insufficient blinking, such as when you're staring at a computer screen all day.
Dry eyes are also a symptom of systemic diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, rosacea or Sjogrens Syndrome (a triad of dry eyes, dry mouth and rheumatoid arthritis or lupus).
Long-term contact lens wear is another cause; in fact, dry eyes are the most common complaint among contact lens wearers.
Treatment
When it comes to treating dry eyes, everyone’s needs are a little different. Many find relief simply from using artificial tears on a regular basis. Some of these products are watery and alleviate the symptoms temporarily; others are thicker and adhere to the eye longer. Preservative-free tears are recommended because they are the most soothing and have fewer additives that could potentially irritate. Avoid products that whiten the eyes – they don’t have adequate lubricating qualities and often make the problem worse.
Closing the opening of the tear drain in the eyelid with special inserts called punctal plugs is another option. This works like closing a sink drain with a stopper. These special plugs trap the tears on the eye, keeping it moist. This may be done on a temporary basis with a dissolvable collagen plug, or permanently with a silicone plug.
Treatment Options
ARTIFICIAL TEARS can provide many patients relief when used on a regular basis. Some of these products are 
watery and alleviate the symptoms temporarily; others are thicker and adhere to the eye longer. Preservative-free tears are recommended because they are the most soothing and have fewer additives that could potentially irritate. Avoid products that whiten the eyes – they don’t have adequate lubricating qualities and often make the problem worse. There are a lot of eye drops and artificial tears out there today, but they vary widely in their ability to relieve the symptoms of dry eye. For mild dryness we recommend SYSTANE® Lubricant Eye Drops and with more severe cases we advise a thicker drop such as 
REFRESH Liquigel®. If you are currently using artificial several times a day and still have symptoms further treatment is needed.
PUNCTAL OCCLUSION is a simple, non-surgical procedure that takes just minutes in the doctor’s office. It can be described using an analogy of blocking up drainage to create a reservoir of tears in the eye. Actually, tiny openings in the eyelids, called puncta, that drain moisture (tears) from the eye into the nose as a natural function of eliminating excess tears. In punctual occlusion a special plug is placed over the puncta to save tears from being lost from the eye.
OMEGA 3 SUPPLEMENTS work by improving the omega-3-lipid component of the tear leading to better tear composition and better lubrication for the eye. Tear quality is essential for good eye health. Poor tear quality can cause a wide range of symptoms from eye pain to impaired vision and a compromised quality of life.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition analyzed data from an ongoing women’s health study. Women who ate a daily intake of omega-3s EPA and DHA in a natural triglyceride form reduced the risk of Dry Eye Syndrome by up to 66%.
Choosing to take an omega-3 will provide your body the necessary nutrients for optimal tear composition and overall eye health. Choosing the right omega-3 is just as important. Omega-3’s rich in EPA and DHA in their natural triglyceride form will enhance your therapeutic outcome. PRN Physician Recommended Nutriceuticals® provides the purest, most therapeutically potent omega-3 based nutriceuticals possible. All of PRN’s omega-3 based products, when taken as recommended, deliver a therapeutic amount of omega-3 EPA and DHA as recommended by the American Heart Association.
Our diet is relatively deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. It’s analogous to good and bad cholesterol, where the omega 6 is the bad cholesterol and the omega-3 is the good cholesterol. We need both, but we need the ratio to be appropriate.
Our diet is relatively deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. It’s analogous to good and bad cholesterol, where the omega 6 is the bad cholesterol and the omega-3 is the good cholesterol. We need both, but we need the ratio to be appropriate.
Much of the research thus far has focused on omega-3 versus omega-6 fatty acids and how they are linked to the incidence of dry eye. Omega-3 acids are found in walnuts and oily, cold, dark fish such as tuna and salmon. Omega-6 acids are found in meat, canola and corn oil, and margarine. Although both kinds of fats are needed to function, omega-3 acids are healthier than the omega-6 acids. The typical Western diet can outweigh omega-3 acids by 16 times, according to a study from the October 2002 issue of Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy.
Omega-3 acids may benefit dry eye by reducing inflammatory activity in the body and by possibly altering the lipid profiles of the meibomian glands. Some components of the omega-3 acids are thought to stimulate aqueous tear secretion. Scientific research over the past decade has shown that specifically targeted nutritional supplements can restore function to the glands that provide lubrication to the eye. This includes both omega GLA as well as omega 3 EPA.
FLEX Omega Benefits by PRN are sold in each of our offices as a convenient source of pure Omega-3 to supplement your diet.
• Natural Triglyceride (TG) form for Maximum Absorption
• Highly purified and concentrated
• Contaminant free
• No pro-inflammatory Omega-6s
• No fishy after-taste common with the synthetic formulas
• High EPA - the natural anti-inflammatory
RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion is the only prescription eye drop to help increase tear production, which may be reduced by inflammation due to Chronic Dry Eye. RESTASIS® is approved to be used twice a day, with one drop in each eye in the morning, and again in the evening. No two patients respond to any medication in exactly the same way. Depending on your condition you may experience the effects of RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion within a month. The first thing many patients using RESTASIS® may notice is they are using artificial tears less and less.
There are also simple lifestyle changes that can significantly improve irritation from dry eyes. For example, drinking eight to ten glasses of water each day keeps the body hydrated and flushes impurities. Make a conscious effort to blink frequently – especially when reading or watching television. Avoid rubbing the eyes. This only worsens the irritation. Changes in diet and taking supplements such as Omega-3 has been shown to help in the treatment of dry eye symptoms.
Treating dry eye problems is important not only for comfort, but also for the health of the cornea.
If you think you may have dry eye contact us us or schedule an appointment so we can perform the necessary tests to diagnose dry eye and determine its severity.
Even before your visit, however, you can use a simple indicator called the Symptomatic Tear Break-Up Time (SBUT) test to determine if you might be suffering from dry eye.
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