For the ophthalmologist María Alejandra Charriadry eye is the disease of the new generation. “Not only because we live in a polluted environment, but because we use more screen devices than before, where the normal blink rate drops noticeably. From 14 to 16 blinks per minute, we went to just four and five times. This because the brain interprets that in front of a screen we should pay more attention, and the eye, having this exposure, without protection from blinking and without renewal of the tear film, begins to have symptoms of dry eyebecause the ocular surface is not designed to be in an environment that is not moist or hydrated”, he explains.
Alejandra de la Torre, also an ophthalmologist, estimates that more than 70 percent of the patients evaluated in consultation present some symptom or sign of dry eye. For her, this is a condition that needs to be paid close attention to. “The prevalence of dry eye disease affects the quality of life and causes alteration in daily tasks. It affects concentration and fluency in reading, both on paper and on screen. Those who are exposed to screens or do computer work for long hours can become very symptomatic, presenting a foreign body sensation, red, irritated eyes and fluctuating vision.
SEMANA: Is it true that dry eye only affects older people?
Myth. There is increasing evidence from young people and children. “Today we are seeing with concern that the pediatric population has been showing symptoms. Recently, we conducted a study in healthy children aged 7 to 17 years in various schools in Bogotá, in which we performed 11 tests of ocular surface function and dry eye, finding that 100% of these children had some sign of dry eye, and 33.3% of these children met criteria for a diagnosis of dry eye, as such”, notes De la Torre.
SEMANA: Myth or reality that the mask collaborates in the appearance of dry eye?
TRUE. Being a multifactorial disease, it is associated with specific entities, such as Sjögren’s syndrome or hypothyroidism, also with menopause and postmenopause, prolonged use of screens and environmental pollution, “but, currently, the use of masks since the beginning of the pandemic has a high incidence because the hot air, when breathing, rises and goes towards the eyes through the upper slit of the mask, producing alterations at the level of the ocular surface. Hence, the dry eye has been increasing in the world population, “he explains.
SEMANA: Is it true that spending many hours on a screen is a risk factor for dry eye?
TRUE. Ophthalmologist Alejandra de la Torre cites a study by the TFOS-DEWS II, Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society working group. “There it was stipulated that one of the most important risk factors for presenting this disease is the use of screens. It was shown that its use for more than four hours increases the risk of dry eye by 68 percent.
SEMANA: Is it true that older adults need more care?
Myth. For the doctor Charria, everyone, Regardless of age, we must ensure good eye hygiene. “We all need to be much more aware of the prevalence of this disease. It is true that, as the years go by, there is less production of tears, and this affects the pathology, but prevention is a determining factor so that the ocular surface is more protected, from an early age”he points out.