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Itchy, crimson, irritated eyes may very well be a symptom of many issues, however chronic dry eye is a standard offender.
Dry eye is a situation that happens when the eyes don’t produce sufficient high quality tears, resulting in burning, stinging and common ocular discomfort, based on the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Julie Bowen, finest recognized for her position as Claire Dunphy on the sitcom “Modern Family,” spoke with Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview about her latest diagnosis with the situation.
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While the actress was on set for the brand new comedic thriller “Hysteria!”, she seen that her contacts would dry out as a result of “smoky” surroundings, she stated.
Julie Bowen speaks onstage throughout Variety’s Power of Women at Mother Wolf on Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. (Michael Kovac/Variety through Getty Images)
During a break from taking pictures, Bowen went to go to her eye physician, who informed her she had dry eye, a progressive situation that’s largely attributable to irritation.
“You can’t just wet the top of your eyeball and treat the inflammation, which is what I had been trying to do [with eyedrops],” she stated.
Bowen was prescribed an anti-inflammatory eye drop, Xiidra, and used it as prescribed twice a day for about 9 months.
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Although it wasn’t an instantaneous repair, Bowen reported that over time, she was capable of preserve her contact lenses in “longer and longer.”
“I’m able to not feel my eyeballs,” she stated. “One of the eye doctors I was working with … told me, ‘You’re not supposed to feel your eyeballs.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, right!’ If you feel your eyeballs, something’s wrong.”
Bowen was recognized with dry eye, a progressive situation that’s largely attributable to irritation. (JC Olivera/Getty Images; iStock)
Causes of dry eye
Dr. Derek Cunningham, director of Dell Laser Consultants in Austin, Texas, informed Fox News Digital in an interview that dry eye is available in “all different forms.”
Cunningham, who treats folks from all around the U.S. at Dell Laser’s devoted dry eye heart, referred to as dry eye the “potentially most prevalent disease” in North America.
“We sit at the computer all day without hydration, and that builds up inflammation over time.”
Modern existence, together with frequent laptop use, have pushed an uptick in dry eye circumstances, because the eye is the “highest-friction area of the human body,” the physician stated.
“You blink 10,000 times a day,” he went on. “The tear film is bringing nutrients to your cornea.”
“So, your tears are not just a lubricant — they’re actually the lifeline of your cornea and the front of your eye.”
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As folks age, fewer tears are produced as a consequence of hormonal adjustments, based on Cunningham – and ladies undergo from dry eye greater than males for that reason.
Young employees in forced-air environments, like places of work, are most in danger, he famous.
Changes in hormones and drugs can worsen dryness, in addition to inflammatory points all through the physique like joint ache or abdomen issues, the physician cautioned. (iStock)
“When you stare at a computer screen, your blink rate can go down to two to four times a minute; on average, it’s supposed to be about 20 to 40 times a minute,” he stated. “We sit at the computer all day without hydration, and that builds up inflammation over time.”
Typing on a pc for an extended time period is “literally like sprinting for your eyes,” the knowledgeable famous.
Symptoms to observe for
Dry eye can have completely different signs primarily based on gender, ethnicity and different variables, however some “hallmark” indicators are constant dryness, fluctuating imaginative and prescient and total consciousness of your eyes all through the day, based on Cunningham.
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“You should not notice that your eyes are in your head,” he stated. “And if you notice they’re there, that’s most commonly dry eye.”
Recommended treatments
When treating dry eye, there may be “no one product for everybody,” stated Cunningham.
Some choices embody anti-inflammatory eye drops, tearduct plugs, intense pulsed mild remedy (IPL) and different laser therapies.
While synthetic tears generally is a “refreshing tool,” prescription steroids and anti inflammatory drops are wanted to deal with the irritation, Cunningham stated.
Eyes weren’t “built” to stare at a pc display screen for lengthy durations of time, based on an knowledgeable. (iStock)
Skin can be “intimately involved” in dry eye, Cunningham famous, as irritation within the pores and skin, or rosacea, can have a direct correlation to the situation.
“We have to look more at the skin in your face in order to truly manage dry eye,” the physician stated.
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Bowen encourages everybody to get routine eye exams, significantly these with dry eye signs. As the situation is progressive and can worsen with time, it is necessary to “get ahead” of it, she stated.
“It’s not going to get better if you’re not treating the inflammation,” Bowen added.
Anti-inflammatory eye drops are used to assist cease the immune system from “shutting down tear production,” which may help with dry eye, based on specialists. (iStock)
Making life-style adjustments — like consuming a well-rounded weight loss plan that features anti-inflammatory meals and exercising repeatedly — may also assist, Cunningham stated.
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“A little bit of caffeine will help dry eye, but a lot of caffeine makes it way worse,” the knowledgeable famous, whereas ingesting water does not appear to have an affect.
Cunningham added, “Getting on things early and stopping the progression is the key.”
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