Staying up late to watch TV dramas may be a relief, but beware of dry eyes

During the Spring Festival holiday, I believe everyone must have been browsing their phones and playing on the computer a lot, right? Little did they know that while they were enjoying themselves, a disease might quietly come to them.

Recently, 28-year-old Ms. Hu (a pseudonym) watched TV series on her mobile phone for several days in a row. Due to dry eyes, photophobia and decreased vision, she went to the hospital for treatment and was diagnosed with dry eye syndrome.

Patients receive aerosol fumigation treatment in the dry eye treatment room of the ophthalmology outpatient clinic (Photo source: Wuhan Central Hospital)

Dry eye syndrome is more than just “dry eyes”

Severe cases can cause blindness

Doctors remind that winter is the peak season for dry eye syndrome. Some people stay up late during the Chinese New Year, and the long-term use of electronic products leads to an increase in the incidence rate.

How to self-diagnose dry eyes?

▲ Dryness: Feeling like there is sand or foreign matter in the eyes, as if they were dried by the wind, and lack lubrication;

▲Stinging: Mild to moderate stinging in the eyes, especially when the eyes are overused or in a dry environment;

▲Itching: The eyes itch, and rubbing the eyes with hands will aggravate the symptoms;

▲Red eyes: red bloodshot eyes;

▲Reflex tearing: In some cases, reflex tearing may occur due to dry eye irritation, but this type of tearing does not effectively relieve dry eye symptoms;

Blurred vision: temporary blurring of vision, especially when reading or looking at a computer screen, which can be relieved after rest;

▲Visual fatigue: Visual fatigue is easy to occur after using the eyes for a long time, and frequent blinking is needed to relieve it.

Dry eye is not as simple as "dry eyes" as everyone thinks. It is a chronic eye disease caused by the combined effects of multiple factors. Severe dry eye can cause eye diseases such as keratitis and corneal ulcers, eventually leading to decreased vision or even blindness.

According to statistics, there are about 360 million dry eye patients in my country, and the incidence trend is getting younger and younger, even some preschool children are not immune. What are the common misunderstandings about dry eye? How to effectively reduce the risk of dry eye during the holidays?

Three major "rumors" about dry eye syndrome

See how many you know?

▲Dry eyes are dry eyes❌

Nowadays, many children and teenagers frequently use electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers, and many of them experience symptoms of dry eyes and fatigue. Are these symptoms dry eyes?

According to experts, the main symptom of dry eye syndrome is dry eyes, but dry eyes are not necessarily dry eye syndrome. Common allergic conjunctivitis can also cause symptoms of dry eyes.

▲Dry eyes mean less tears❌

The healthy tears of a normal person not only have an aqueous layer, but also a lipid layer and a mucin layer. Abnormalities in these components or mixed disorders of more factors may cause dry eyes.

▲Dry eyes can be cured with eye drops❌

The treatment of dry eyes cannot be solved with just a bottle of eye drops. It requires professional examination first to determine the type and cause of dry eyes, and then personalized diagnosis and treatment.

Most of the "Internet celebrity" eye drops on the market currently contain preservatives. Long-term use may cause damage to the ocular surface. Once symptoms of dry eyes appear, it is best not to use eye drops at will and seek medical attention in time.

How to avoid dry eyes?

Let your eyes rest is the best way

Doctors remind that following the following precautions can effectively reduce the risk of dry eyes:

▲ Blink more: Blinking is a protective nerve reflex that can evenly disperse tears on the surface of the cornea and conjunctiva, keeping the eyes moist.

▲Pay attention to eye hygiene: Keep your hands clean and avoid rubbing your eyes. Inadequate eye cleaning may cause blockage of the meibomian glands, which will not form a complete oil film, causing excessive evaporation of tears and leading to dry eyes.

▲Maintain a correct sitting posture: Reduce the time spent using computers and mobile phones, and keep a proper distance. When working, your eyes should be more than 60 cm away from the computer screen.

▲Supplement nutrients: Eat more fruits and vegetables to supplement vitamins, lutein, beta-carotene and other nutrients that are beneficial to the eyes. Lutein is an antioxidant in eye tissue, mainly derived from spinach and cabbage; beta-carotene has the effect of improving eyesight and can relieve eye fatigue, and is mainly found in vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes and spinach.

▲Maintain appropriate indoor humidity: Use air conditioning as little as possible. If you must use it, turn on an air humidifier at the same time to ensure that the room humidity is between 30% and 50%.

Ke Ke reminds: Although mobile phones and other electronic products have brought convenience to our work and enriched our spare time, we should avoid excessive use.