DRY EYE SYNDROME: It's a matter of your sinus, not your eyes (Sinus School by Dr. Lee)

DRY EYE SYNDROME & HOW TO TREAT DRY EYES

 

 

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. Sleep may bring temporary relief to the condition, but the eye fatigue returns soon.

 

 

 

The Signs of DES

 

At early stage, people are not aware of their bloodshot eyes. They only find out once they see themselves on the mirror. This, however, normally goes away after a night of sound sleep.

 

The body's anatomical structure is designed in such a way to effectively diffuse the heat generated from the eyes, in taking each breath. Therefore, frequent blood-shot eyes warrants attention. The increased frequency of bloodshot eyes may coincide with partially blocked paranasal sinuses. At this stage, the body can cope with it by inducing more fluid by blinking the eyes more often. Accordingly, frequent blinking can be a sign of early DES.

 

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

 

 

 

The number of patients who suffer from DES is rapidly growing. Several decades ago, when I was in college, the name DES was even unheard of, showing how rare this condition was. But in recent years, people who had no previous visits to an eye doctor, seeking medical help for DES.

 

As mentioned previously, DES is not an opthalmologic disorder, but an ENT disorder. While the growth of rhinitis and sinusitis make a steep angled increase lately, the growth of DES patients represents similar trend. The sales of artificial tears have risen sharply, depicting the increase in the number of DES patizzaents.

 

One thing I repeatedly learn from treating DES is that we are all victims of air pollution. Our reluctant generation has lost the privilege of enjoying the clean, fresh air. It is truly saddening to watch well treated patients can succumb to air pollution; air pollution can wear out the nose, and in turn, it undermines the function of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.

 

DES was named, because people thought the problem was caused by lack of tears that keeps the cornea moist. But the treatment has been centered around treating the dried cornea. To say differently, DES is a disorder caused by lack of sufficient airflow in the paranasal sinuses that cools the heat in the cornea. Subsequently, the untreated heat dries up the tears and strains the surrounding muscles, causing the entire eye to be tired.

 

Some DES patients apply hot packs on their eyes to increase the blood flow in the region, but this must be discouraged. The tiredness in the eyes is caused by the heat. For the sake of the eyes, heat must not be used to treat the eyes. The heat that circulating blood can carry away is much smaller than the amount of heat applied by a hot pack, bringing no benefit to the eyes at the end. Staying long in a sauna not only fails to offer help, but it aggravates the condition. Applying a cold-pack, therefore, is much more preferable. The heat has been captured in the eyes for a prolonged period, which is a condition induced by blocked sinuses. One of the best self-remedies to cool off the heat is applying a cold-pack. 

 

If you wish to know more about your symptoms and methods to cure, please go to 

www.amazon.com and find "Sinus School" =) You will receive information on variety of symptoms and results of rhinitis and sinusitis.