Under normal conditions, the surface of the eye is covered with an intact layer of tears (or tear film). Because the ocular surface is directly exposed to the external environment, changes in the environment can have a significant impact on the tear film. Abnormal symptoms in the eye caused by changes in the quality or quantity of tears, or accompanied by inflammatory or damaging manifestations of the ocular surface, are called dry eye.
If the occurrence of dry eye is directly related to environmental factors, it can be called environment-related dry eye; in other words, when the environment improves, the signs and symptoms of dry eye will also disappear.
[Etiology].
1. The most common environmental factor is working at close annotated screens (such as computers) for the following reasons.
(1) Concentration at work, the number of transient eyes is significantly reduced, affecting the uniform distribution of tear film on the eye surface between two transient eyes.
(2) The electrostatic effect of the screen will also accelerate the evaporation of tears, aggravating or inducing the occurrence of dry eyes.
(3) Because the eye surface position is in a relatively fixed state when looking at the screen, and the eye surface position in the natural living state is not the same, the uniform distribution of the tear film is affected.
2.Air-conditioning
No matter hot or cold air conditioning, it will change the temperature of the room air and increase the evaporation of tears.
3.When concentrating (such as reading, writing, knitting, etc.)
When you need to concentrate on your work, the number of transient eyes will be significantly reduced, affecting the eyelid movement to evenly distribute the tear layer and easily induce dry eyes.
4. Direct exposure to rapid air movement (e.g., when driving or riding in a car and the surrounding windows are open)
Due to the acceleration of airflow movement, the evaporation of tears is accelerated and dry eye is easily induced.
5.When the air pollution is heavy or in the smoking room
Both can directly affect the quality and quantity of tears, especially for patients who already have a certain degree of dry eye, in such an environment, the symptoms are very easy to induce or aggravate.
6, other factors such as seasonal changes, changes in the living environment, excessive fatigue, lack of sleep and tension, are also factors that can trigger or aggravate dry eye.
Clinical manifestations
1.The main symptoms of dry eye are: eye fatigue, dryness, foreign body sensation, burning sensation, eye swelling, photophobia, eye redness and foamy or silk-like discharge from the corner of the eye.
2.Patients with environment-related dry eye can easily induce or significantly aggravate these symptoms when they are in the abnormal environment mentioned above, and the symptoms will disappear or be significantly reduced when these environments are avoided or after proper rest.
3, On clinical examination, it can be found that these patients themselves may have abnormalities in tear film stability (e.g., BUT), abnormalities in tear secretion (e.g., Schirmer Test I), and reductions in tear river (tear triangle) volume. When dry eye symptoms are present, they may also be accompanied by abnormalities such as congestion of the conjunctiva and staining of the conjunctival epithelium or corneal epithelium.
Diagnosis
1.The most important feature of environment-related dry eye is that the symptoms of dry eye are induced or aggravated by changes in environmental conditions, and when the environment is improved, the symptoms are significantly reduced or disappear.
2.Tear film stability or tear secretion examination can help to further diagnose the disease.
【Treatment】
1.Avoid bad environment, improve working and living environment.
2.Adjust the gaze position, pay attention to proper rest, and correct bad habits.
3, when the symptoms obviously affect the work and study, consider using artificial tears.