Dry Eye: More Than A Minor Annoyance (NAPSA)—Approximately 16 mil- lion people in the U.S. suffer from dry eye symptoms. So manydealwith the burning,irritation and general discomfort that dry eyeis one ofthe top reasons peoplesee their eye doctor. While the symptoms are whatpatients focus on, whatthey maynotrealizeis that dry eye can impactvision, both short term and, in somecases, permanently. ‘The tear film protects and perfects the surface of the eye, known as the cornea, whichis the first line of focus. Whenareas ofdryness appear, vision can Experiencing dry eye is a good reason to see youreye doctor. becomeblurred.Also,dry eye can affect the health of the cornea, which can lead to significant damage and discomfort. “Patients shouldnt ignore dry eye symptomsortry to managethem ontheir own.Thehealth ofthe eye andvisionis at stake; said Stephen Slade, M.D.ofSlade & Baker Vision. “It is important that the symptoms be thoroughly evaluated during annualeye exams.Patients should knowthere have been a lot of advancements in the treatmentofdry eye” During an eye exam, eye doctors evaluate the overall health of the eye, includingthe cornea as well as the tear ducts and glandsthat contribute to the tearfilm. This is particularly important for those wearing contact lenses for vision correction as lens use can con- tribute to dry eye.Infact, for those who are considering a vision correction pro- cedure, like LASIK,partofthe evaluation for candidacy includesa thorough exam ofthe surface of the eye and any signs of dryeye. Eye doctors will often prescribea dry eye treatmentregimen to restore the surface ofthe eye ofa patient dealing with dry eye symptomsbefore recommending laservision correction. Everyone should have an annualeye exam—particularly if you are having symptomsofdryeye. If you are looking for an eye doctor to discuss your eye health andvision correction needs, visit www.eye-you.org.
