When the temperature drops with the freezing of the first season and the furnace and air conditioner turn on, I feel the familiar dry crackling in my throat and the terrifying scratchy eyes. Sandpaper comes to mind.
It's the outdoor air and the indoor heat that often make me appear as if I've recently had a good or bad cry or have pink eyes. Friends, colleagues, and even family keep their distance as I speak with my fiery vampire eyes. Once again, I drive to my ophthalmologist to make sure I'm not infected.
I'm not alone. At least 16 million adults in the United States suffer from Dry Eye Disease (DED), according to the American Journal of Ophthalmology.
If a person cannot produce enough quality or quantity of tears to hydrate and nourish the eyes, dry eyes will result. It can be painful and often causes eyes to be irritated, inflamed, and red. It is a leading reason for visits to the ophthalmologist.
Insufficient tears, if left untreated, can cause erosion of the eye surface, corneal ulcers, infections, and even vision loss, according to Mayo Clinic. Once considered an issue of older women (hormonal changes may contribute), recent cases have been on the rise in the U.S.
Many factors have contributed to the increase, including the growing number of people spending six hours or more in front of electronic screens, according to Comparison. Side effects of common medications, allergies, autoimmune diseases, eye structure issues, poor diet, and even poor hygiene also play a role.
Why is a tear so special?
Tears are a complex product with three essential layers, each necessary to protect the eyes.
The outer layer is a mixture of lipids. Oils are secreted by the meibomian glands - small glands located on the upper and lower eyelids where the eyelashes originate. Blinking spreads the oils, sealing the tears and preventing rapid evaporation.
The middle layer, or water, makes up the majority of tears and is a combination of water-like proteins and gel released by lacrimal glands located at the outer corners of the eyes.