Overview

A multifactorial ocular surface disease, dry eye is defined by a loss of tear film homeostasis and accompanying visual symptoms. The aetiology of dry eye includes ocular surface inflammation and injury, tear film instability and hyperosmolarity, and disorders related to the nervous system.

Causes

Tear production decreases due to 

• Age 

• Certain medications (antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants, high blood pressure drugs)

• Rheumatoid arthritis 

• Diabetes

• Llupus

• Sjogren's syndrome 

• Vitamin A deficiency 

• Damage to the tear glands

• Laser eye surgery 

• Increased tear evaporation from smoke or wind, and less frequent blinking 

• Skin diseases on or around the eyelids, such as rosacea or eczema 

• Meibomian gland dysfunction 

• Environmental factors like chemical fumes 

• Hormone changes

• Autoimmune disease 

• Corneal nerve desensitisation can cause dry eyes.

Symptoms

Symptoms include 

• Burning, itching, or stinging 

• Feeling in your eyes and mucus that is stringy in or around your eyes 

• Light Sensitivity 

• Redness in the eyes is a feeling as though something is in your eyes. 

• Using contact lenses becomes difficult. 

• Having trouble driving at night 

• Blurry vision or eye strain 

• Trouble reading 

• Feeling that your eyelids are heavy or that you have trouble opening them 

• Twitching of the eyelids 

• Excessive blinking and tired eyes 

• Being unable to cry in a serious DED

Ayurvedic View

Shushka akshi paka- Dosha involved is vata, and pitta dosha, prakopa due to long time seeing of bright light, eye strain, ratri jagarana (night awakening), etc. These prakupita dosha enters the akshi (eyes) and the patient has a feeling of gharshana (foreign body sensation in eyes), toda (pricking pain in eye), blurred vision, which is dry eye syndrome. The Ayurveda way of approach is to reduce prakopa (aggravation) of dosha in akshi (eyes), bring dosha back to normal state, improve vision, reduce symptoms by ayurvedic line of panchakarma treatment and by local treatment done for the eye.