Dry eye disease is an extremely common extraocular disease, and is a general term for a large group of diseases caused by any cause of reduced tear fluid or abnormal composition or dynamics in the tears of the eye, resulting in symptoms such as dryness, foreign body sensation, visual fatigue or vision loss. Mild dry eye affects the quality of life and can lead to blindness in severe cases. The tear film is an ultra-thin layer of tears (7-8um thick) that covers the surface of our eyes, which is coated by the eye through transient movements (blinking) and consists of an aqueous, lipid and mucin layer from the outside in. It has lubricating, moistening, protective, antibacterial and nourishing effects on the ocular surface. The stability of the tear film is defined as its ability to cover the surface of the eye relatively evenly and to last for a certain period of time without breaking down. If the tear film is abnormal, for example, if the rupture time is too short, it will not be able to lubricate the surface of the eye and will cause eye discomfort, which can lead to corneal ulcers and even blindness in severe cases. Who are more likely to get dry eye? 1, the elderly / peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women; 2, often engaged in concentration work or activities, such as long-term use of computers, prolonged reading or work in front of the fluorescent screen; 3, late night workers (prolonged exposure of the eye surface); 4, living or working environment: air conditioning, smoke, high diffusion or dry air (which is often a trigger to aggravate the symptoms); 5, long-term eye drops with antibiotics, antiviral, etc. Eye drops; 6, long-term use of antihypertensive drugs, antidepressants and contraceptives; 7, a history of eye surgery (such as LASIK, cataract surgery, etc.); 8, suffering from abnormal thyroid function, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases (can also have dry mouth, joint pain and other symptoms). How do I know if I have dry eye? If you have one of the following symptoms, you should be alert: 1) Dry eyes 2) Foreign body sensation 3) Visual fatigue 4) Burning sensation 5) Photophobia When you go to the doctor, in addition to examining your eyes, the doctor will also do some tests for you, the main ones are as follows: 1) Schirmer test: also known as tear secretion test, which is to check the amount of tear secretion; 2) BUT: also known as tear film rupture test. BUT: also known as tear film rupture time, to check the stability of the tear film; 3. Other special tests, such as corneal topography, confocal microscopy, lactoferrin measurement, blot cytology, etc. Your doctor will decide what kind of tests are needed based on your condition and will make a decision on the treatment of dry eye and its severity based on the test results. Why do I get dry eye? The causes of dry eye are complex, such as aging, environmental factors, infections, inappropriate long-term use of drugs, changes in hormone levels and autoimmune conditions, eye trauma, chemical injuries, etc. The occurrence of dry eye is often a combination of many factors, and it is difficult for some patients to find a clear cause, so the treatment of dry eye is very difficult, and the treatment methods are more varied and complex. The damage to the ocular surface caused by dry eye is not something that happens overnight, so it is not something that can be restored to health overnight, so the treatment of dry eye requires long-term persistence. What should I do if I have dry eye? The first step is of course to go to the doctor, who will develop a treatment plan that suits your situation. The main treatment measures are as follows: 1.elimination of causative factors: long-term use of computer, staying up late at night, etc. should be avoided; 2.application of artificial tears to the eyes; 3.pigmentation of tear dots, safe, effective, reversible, can be combined with other treatments; 4.promotion of tear secretion: oral medication, but there are side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort, and long-term use, high cost; 5.anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive treatment: for the presence of