Dr. Lee's Sinus School: Dry Eye Syndrome (Am I DES Patient)

Dr. Lee's Sinus School

Eye disorders caused by rhinitis and sinusitis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Dry Eye Syndrome DES: Ophthalmic Disorder or Nasal Disorder?

 

DES is a condition caused by a lack of moisture on the surface of the eye. The cause of the dryness is the heat that dissipates moisture from the eye. The heat evaporates the tear that lubricates the oscular surface. When there are not enough tears, the eye becomes dry and cause redness and feeling gritty. In worsened state, the eyestrain becomes constant whether the eyes are opened or closed.

   

The nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses function as an anti-overheating device for the eyes. If eye strain is present, caused by DES, then it must observe whether there is sufficient ventilation in the cavity and sinuses. Once clear ventilation is restored in those areas, even serious cases of DES experience significant improvement.

 

Here is the summary of how DES progresses.

 

Stage 1. More frequent blinking

Stage 2. More forceful blinking, involving the eyelid muscles

Stage 3. Frequent bloodshot eyes

Stage 4. Frequent eyestrain and display eye discharge more than others

Stage 5. Increased light sensitivity and soreness in the eyes  

Stage 6. Feeling burning sensation in the eyes when exposed to dry or polluted air

Stage 7. Eye sight becomes blear and deteriorate

Stage 8. Eye sight becomes foggy and feeling pain

Stage 9. Frequent infection in the eyelids

Stage 10. When woke up in the morning, the eyes are dry and red

Stage 11. Regardless the eyes closed or opened, the eyestrain remains

 

DES should be distinguished into two: dry eye syndrome and extraocular muscle pain. The reason for the distinction lies in the difference in their respective treatments. The eyes suffer from DES are very sensitive; they are sensitive enough to determine their sizes, the location of the strained muscles and the degree of pain simply by interviewing the patient. It usually starts off from bloodshot eyes, then stiffness metastasize to the eyelids and the brow. This further develops into muscle strain in the same regions, indicating more serious DES. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Typical Eye Strain can be relieved by taking a sleep, however, when this is not the case, such as having blood shot eyes shortly after waking up or right after waking up from a sleep, it is showing the signs of blocked paranasal sinuses. Overnight, the heat could not be released from the eye, but when the eye comes in contact with the air directly, it takes away some of the heat, hence, it lessens the redness in the eye.

 

 Interviewing a patient about the condition, the tiredness and color of their eyes, is a critical in making a proper prognosis. If the patient feeling the eyes somewhat replenished, the paranasal sinuses might not be completely blocked.

 

If the patient needs a splash of cold water on the eyes to start the day, the paranasal sinuses most likely to be completely blocked and requires more prolonged treatment.  

 

If you wish to know more about correlation with your dry eyes and sinuses , please look up the book, "Sinus School" which contains many treatment cases of patients I treated for 25 years, with focus on sinusitis and rhinitis. A lot of problems related to eyes were actually a matter of sinus problems.

 

 

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