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My RO
Topics
In their mildest forms, both dry eye and
blepharitis are treatable, although not curable. Left untreated,
however, the two diseases may progress. Clinicians should continue to
evaluate patients with a renewed goal of reducing the signs and
symptoms of both diseases.
Creating a dry eye center is simple, inexpensive and rewarding. The key is your attention to improving care.
When we hear "dry eye," we picture a 65-plus postmenopausal female patient. Even though dry eye is most prevalent
in this population, there are other populations to consider, too.
In the pediatric population, dry eye appears much less
frequently in general practice. But, it should be taken seriously when it comes
to the implications of the patient’s ocular signs and symptoms.
Dry eye disease, while common, still presents one of the most challenging and complex diagnostic dilemmas in all of eye care. Its core mechanisms have been identified as tear film instability and hyperosmolarity, but many additional elements also contribute; of these, the most significant are tear hyposecretion, ocular surface inflammation and lid margin disease. Lid margin disease, such as posterior blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction, is currently recognized as the single most common cause of evaporative dry eye.
This article details some of the commonly available compositions of artificial tears and discusses their potential use in specific causes of dry eye disease. There is no single brand of artificial tears that works well for every form of dry eye. Rather, each option has benefits for certain clinical situations.
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