A so-called dry eye can have many causes. Almost a third of all patients who visit an ophthalmologist suffer from this problem.
Skin diseases such as rosacea, thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus, medication such as beta blockers or local therapy with drops for glaucoma are common causes. Working in front of a screen for too long, in poorly ventilated rooms heated by air conditioning, smoking, abrasive contact lenses, too much make-up and lack of hydration also play a large role in this common problem, which incidentally increases significantly with age.
The so-called Meibomian glands produce the secretion that allows the eyelids to slide gently over the eyeball. 20 of these special sebaceous glands are located on the edge of the lower eyelid and 30 on the edge of the upper eyelid. With advancing age, the frequency of blinking and the production of this valuable greasy secretion decreases. This increases the risk of developing a dry eye, which can even lead to a drop in visual performance and thus to a significant reduction in quality of life. A study by the ophthalmologist Christoph Laufenböck has now shown that the introduction of pigment particles in hundreds of individual stitches can damage the Meibomian glands, which are located on the sensitive edge of the eyelid, significantly more often and thus cause an unstable tear film. This risk is lower with a temporarily applied eyeliner. In fact, I advise you to think carefully about whether you want to take that risk. In any case, you should contact an experienced specialist who you can count on.
Do you have questions about health?
Write to OÖN doctor Johannes Neuhofer (dermatologist), who oversees this column with a team of doctors: Clemens Steinwender (cardiologist), Reinhold Függer (surgeon), Rainer Schöfl (gastroenterologist), Josef Hochreiter (orthopaedist), Werner Schöny (psychiatrist).
E-mail: doktor@nachrichten.at
Source: Nachrichten
