Frequently asked questions about dry eye

24/04/2024

Dry eye is a disease that consists of a shortage in the quantity of tears and/or a deterioration in their quality, producing inflammation of the surface of the eye. It is usually bilateral and is more common in women than in men, especially in the menopause and post-menopause period.

In the following lines we answer some of the most frequently asked questions from patients about dry eye:

Does dry eye improve?

Dry eye is a chronic disease and has no definitive cure. Environmental factors and personal factors such as poor sleep, stress and anxiety play a very important role in the symptoms of dry eye patients. If one day you have slept 9 hours and well, you are relaxed and it is raining, chances are that that day you will feel better than on a winter day with the heating on in a house closed with anxiety and you have slept 3 hours. The patient must observe and identify the factors that make their manifestations worse and try to avoid them and increase the frequency of instilling artificial tears. For example, if you woke up one morning bad knowing that you slept very little the night before, you should plan to take a nap so your eyes can rest, compensating for the lack of sleep the night before.

Can dry eye cause vision problems?

If the tear film is altered or if it breaks more quickly than normal, it will have an impact on visual quality. More severe forms of dry eye can cause corneal alterations and significant vision loss.

Does everyone suffer from it?

Saying that dry eye is a common cause of consultation does not mean that it is universal by any means, but it is true that, with age, we all lose a little quantity and quality in our tears.

A family member has severe dry eye and is constantly taking eye drops. Will this happen to me too?

There's no need for concern. Dry eye does not have a hereditary factor, so the dryness of your family member will not be passed on to you. On the other hand, being a woman and being of menopausal age increases the risk of having dry eye disease.

What is the best treatment in my case?

It will be the ophthalmologist who will determine the most appropriate type of treatment based on the state of your eye health.

What measures do I have to take before and after IPL treatment?

It is recommended to come without makeup and, above all, avoid applying mascara or eye pencil that day. Additionally, before the treatment and during the time the sessions are performed, it is important to avoid sun exposure to prevent tanning.

How many IPL sessions will I have to do?

It is usually done in 4 sessions, with an interval of 2-3 weeks between each session. The number of sessions needed may vary depending on the severity of the condition and the patient's individual response to treatment.