face masks, digital screens and winter weather are a triple threat for dry eyes

what is dry eye disease?

eye doctors report seeing more patients with irritated, burning and stinging eyes. these symptoms are very common, and when persistent can be diagnosed as dry eye disease, a condition affecting up to  75 per cent of the population .

severity varies, with most people having minor intermittent symptoms, but for others it can be  highly disruptive to work and daily life .

starting with the eye itself, the role of an eye care practitioner like me has been to ensure the  eyelids and eyelashes are healthy , that the  glands in the eyelids are producing oils , that there are  sufficient tears to keep eyes feeling moist and ensure that surface inflammation  is controlled. it is also important to  account for health conditions and medications that may contribute to drying the ocular surface .

factor 1: impact of fall and winter

your eyes are subject to the same environmental conditions as the rest of your body. this is more apparent during the fall and  winter . as surrounding air becomes less humid, dry eye symptoms increase. comfortable levels of humidity typically range between 40 and 70 per cent. during the coldest days of winter, humidity percentages can drop into the single digits. the  tear film evaporates much more quickly in these conditions , leaving the surface of the eye drier than normal.

several steps can help offset these drying situations. using  humidifiers  increases moisture in the air and  air purifiers  may also help.

simple management strategies guard against excessive tear film evaporation by improving the oily (lipid) outer layer of the tear film. using  warm compresses  on the eyelids helps tear film oils spread more easily, and adding  lipid-based artificial tear drops  supplements the oil level.

it also helps to  drink more water  to maintain adequate levels of hydration.

when viewing a digital screen, dryness sensations are driven by a change in blinking patterns. getty

factor 2: increased digital device use

the covid-19 pandemic has forced many people to work and study remotely from home, spending more time on digital devices. when viewing a screen, dryness sensations are driven by a change in blinking patterns. blinks are  less frequent and not as full and complete .

the natural mechanism of blinking is important to distribute a fresh layer of tears over the surface of the eye. with a reduced blink rate, the tear film evaporates and is not replaced quickly enough, leading to  increased irritation and discomfort .

the most straightforward advice is to take more frequent breaks. the “ 20-20-20 rule ” (every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds) helps manage eye strain when working on digital devices. there are even  programs and apps  that remind you to blink more frequently and more fully.

factor 3: mask wear continues

with indoor mask-wearing still being mandated or recommended to reduce the spread of covid-19, it has also resulted in some people noticing an  increase in dry eye sensations . termed mask-associated dry eye (made), it is caused by exhaled air travelling out the top opening of the mask and over the surface of the eyes, making  tears evaporate even faster .

the remedy  is similar to preventing glasses from fogging with mask wear: use medical tape to “seal off” the top part of the mask to prevent airflow there.

managing dry eye triad

more intense eye dryness may well benefit from tailored treatment. your optometrist or ophthalmologist may recommend a specific regimen or refer you to a dry eye speciality clinic. several  new pharmaceuticals and medical devices  are putting relief in reach for even severe cases.

this article is republished from the conversation under a creative commons license. read the original article .