Dry Eye Syndrome: Symptoms and Treatments (Feat. Sebum Squeezing Shorts, How to Do Warm Compresses)

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As the seasons change, many people are likely experiencing dryness in their skin and eyes.

Dry eye syndrome, in particular, has become a chronic condition for modern people, with over 90% of the population in major Korean cities reporting that they have experienced it.

In fact, it is also the most common reason for patients to visit an ophthalmologist.

But did you know that if dry eye syndrome is left untreated, it can lead to conditions like blepharitis or vision loss?

Without tears, which act as a lubricant when blinking, the surface of the cornea or conjunctiva can be damaged, and various antimicrobial components in tears also fail to function properly.

The ocular surface is composed of three layers: the tear film, lipid layer, and mucin layer.

When the balance of these three layers is disrupted and tear secretion becomes unstable, dry eye syndrome occurs.

Dry eye syndrome symptoms are broadly divided into the following three types:

Types of Dry Eye Syndrome

1. Aqueous-Deficient Dry Eye

First, aqueous-deficient dry eye, as the name suggests, is a type where the production of water, or tears, is significantly reduced.

Most dry eye patients might simply think their eyes are dry due to a lack of tears, but aqueous-deficient dry eye is actually an uncommon case, excluding reasons like medication use or underlying diseases.

2. Evaporative Dry Eye

The second type, evaporative dry eye, accounts for a whopping 70-80% of all dry eye cases.

Therefore, most people who complain of dry eyes are experiencing it due to excessive tear evaporation.

The amount of tears itself may not be insufficient, but the secreted tears are not maintained on the eye for a sufficient period, causing dryness.

Clear and transparent oil should be secreted from the eye's oil glands, or meibomian glands. However, if inflammation occurs due to aging or cosmetics, this clear oil hardens, disrupting the balance of the lipid layer and leading to dry eye syndrome.

3. Mixed Type

The mixed type, as the name implies, includes both aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye.

The most basic treatment for all types of dry eye syndrome is to instill artificial tears.

It is recommended to frequently instill artificial tears containing hyaluronic acid to keep the cornea moist.

Additionally, if you are taking dermatological medications that suppress sebaceous glands, such as ‘Isotretinoin’, it can affect tear secretion.

Therefore, we recommend adjusting the medication after consulting with each specialist.

So, what are the specific treatments for evaporative dry eye, which accounts for most dry eye causes?

Evaporative Dry Eye Treatment

The fundamental treatment for evaporative dry eye is to remove sebum and inflammation from the meibomian glands.

Therefore, when washing your face in the morning and evening at home, gently wipe your eyelids down to the root of your eyelashes, as if removing makeup, and combine this with warm compresses.

Warm compresses are best done at over 40 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes.

If using a steam towel, it cools down quickly, so you'll need to prepare extras and replace them, which can be inconvenient.

Also, it's harder than you might think to get the temperature just right, so it's better to use a heated eye mask or an eye warming device.

If these methods are difficult, it's better to visit an ophthalmologist for professional care rather than trying to care for it at home.

Ocular IPL and Sebum Squeezing

IPL sterilizes the skin surface with instantaneous heat and has the effect of coagulating capillaries to reduce telangiectasia, making it one of the widely used care methods in dermatology.

Ophthalmologically, it has the effect of melting the meibomian glands.

By melting the meibomian glands, it helps lubricate the ocular surface and creates a clean lipid layer, balancing both oil and moisture.

Approximately 50 meibomian glands are distributed on our upper and lower eyelids.

The upper eyelid secretes relatively smoothly with natural blinking, but the lower eyelid has almost no muscle movement, making it highly likely for its opening to be blocked by dead skin cells or cosmetics.

The problem is that if left untreated, the oil that has not been discharged for a long time hardens, leading to a decrease in meibomian gland function. If the cells of the weakened meibomian glands atrophy, it can become an intractable disease that is difficult to recover from, no matter how much treatment is attempted.

In such cases, it is recommended to combine IPL with squeezing treatment.

https://youtu.be/ebVBmI7Uw3Y?si=FTt3TyZrd3G1yGU6

Our clinic's squeezing treatment uses always clean and sterilized hands, forceps, and cotton swabs to prevent meibomian gland infection and provide an effective extrusion, performed by an ophthalmologist with extensive expertise.

Dry Eye Syndrome Symptoms, Dry Eye Syndrome Treatment

Furthermore, Gangnam Smile Eye Clinic's dry eye treatment system allows patients to receive systematic management through its Eye Care Center, enabling more effective treatment of dry eye syndrome.

Gangnam Smile Eye Clinic

is equipped with the latest equipment and a systematic examination system,

providing sincere one-on-one customized consultations and surgeries for each patient.

We also always prioritize the patient, transparency, and safety.

If you have any other inquiries,

please feel free to contact the ophthalmology clinic at any time.

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