Mobile Eye Clinic Newsltter #14

Understanding Dry Eyes Here at Mobile Eye Clinic we want to ensure everyone's eyes are the healthiest they can be. One significant problem that is often overlooked is Dry Eye. Caused by a loss of water in the tear film, it is followed with dehydration and inflammation of the ocular surface. The role of Tear Film The tear film is the cover over the ocular surface. It is made up of three components - the outer lipid layer, the middle aqueous layer and the inner mucous layer. When all three layers are properly balanced, the tear film assists in the maintenaince of eye health and comfort. Tear film functions include moisture retention, provision of a smooth ocular surface, protection against foreign contaminants and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the corneal cells. Two major classes There are two major classes of dry eye - aqueous-deficient and evaporative/lipid deficient - which correspond to a problem in either the Aqueous or Lipid layer of the tear film respectively. When the chemical balance between the layers is disrupted, the tear film becomes unstable. This can decrease tear film breakup time, giving rise to local drying and exposure of the ocular surface. Products Available SYSTANE® has a variety of products to increase moisture to the tear film. This ensures the exposed ocular surface does not get damaged, and also stimulated the rebuilding of the proper chemical balance in each of the tear film layers. Videos View the videos below which give a detailed look at the role of the tear film and the damage that Dry Eye can cause. http://youtu.be/1F4W1XUqIgM http://youtu.be/Gcmapcytwwc