Restasis Eye Drops – Help Promote Tear Production
Most of us have been encouraged to ‘have a good cry’ at some point, mostly when we are feeling overwhelmed with emotional turmoil. Tears tend to flow unimpeded if you give in to the urge. The scientific term for emotional tears is known as Lacrimal tears. Humans are the only creatures that produce tears based on emotional stimuli, which is why you won’t find a squirrel sobbing when one of its brethren made an untimely attempt to cross a road. They are crushed, they just don’t show it the same way we do. On that note, people with dry eye may appear to be crying, but it is keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca is more often our cause of dry eyes and Restasis eye drops can be the fix.
People can develop dry eye syndrome for any number of reasons, but with keratoconjunctivitis sicca it is most seen in women who have are recently postmenopausal. Menopause medications work well for relief from night sweats and hot flashes, but they don’t do much if anything for eye discomfort due to dryness. It can also be a secondary condition that comes along with rheumatoid arthritis. No matter the cause, the most common type of keratoconjunctivitis sicca is the evaporative one.
With evaporative keratoconjunctivitis sicca the problem is that the Basal tears – the ones made for the purpose of coating, lubricating, and soothing – aren’t formulated properly and as a result they don’t stick around as they should to keep the eyeball comfortably coated, lubricated, and soothed. This may be because the tear ducts have scarring which can occur because of radiation therapy among other reasons. People with compromised conjunctiva function also often develop acne rosacea.
That’s just one of the complications that can come along with keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and we’ll look at all of this here along with what causes dry eyes too. It’s good information to have, and not only for women who are 55+. Dry eye syndrome has similar symptoms and treatment approaches and it’s seen more regularly in people of either gender who are on the far side of 50.
Hard on the Eyes
Attractive people have long been described as ‘easy on the eyes’, although that may be countered somewhat by the equally well-established insistence that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So one who is easy on the eyes may be open to interpretation, and it is true that beauty ideals vary based on culture and a person’s values as created by their community and people of immediate influence.
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca and the symptoms of dry eye that come along with it can be caused by excessive and repetitive movement of the eyes like working on a computer, reading, driving or even watching television. It can also have to do with environment, and being in one that is routinely dry, dusty, or smoky may have you needing medicated drops for dry eyes like Restasis.
It may also be caused by use of systemic drugs, or it may be related to dehydration. While it may be hard to notice yourself it may be a situation where others point it out by asking why you’re blinking so often. There can also be connections between keratoconjunctivitis sicca, dermatitis, ichthyosis, and psoriasis. However, most often the condition does not develop secondarily unless one of the three skin ailments is left unchecked for a long period of time.
Keratoconjunctivitis Treatment
Artificial tears for dry eyes are great in that they provide immediate relief from symptoms of dry eye, and that part of it is due to the fact they’re simply replacing the volume of tears that were lacking previously. But Restasis and other Rx dry eye drops may differ from other eye medications in that they are infused with polar lipids like glycerin and others that make tears more viscous and less likely to evaporate easily.
Your doctor or ophthalmologist may also recommend other approaches to treating keratoconjunctivitis sicca, and they may include being better hydrated, using a humidifier in your bedroom or space you work from during the day, or getting more Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. There are some baseline tests that can be done to determine if dietary deficiencies are contributing to a person’s dry eyes.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
