For Those with Dry, Irritated Eyes the Refractive Surgery Council Recommends Seeing an Eye Doctor

For National Dry Eye Awareness Month, RSC warns people to avoid risking the health of their eyes and vision by seeking care for dry eye symptoms

DALLAS, TX, USA, July 11, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Refractive Surgery Council (RSC) celebrates National Dry Eye Awareness Month this July by reminding people about the importance of talking with your eye doctor about dry eye symptoms, which can negatively impact vision and overall eye health.

A recent survey by Bausch & Lomb revealed the majority of respondents may not know that redness, irritation, changes in vision, and scratchy, gritty or even tired eyes are all dry eye conditions. Affecting approximately 16 million Americans according to Prevent Blindness, dry eye symptoms can be made worse by digital device eye strain, contact lens wear, and several systemic immune diseases. Surprisingly, most survey respondents were unaware that untreated dry eye can lead to other eye problems. While most dry eye sufferers consider the symptoms as simply irritating, there are significant damaging risks of inflammation, infections, and even corneal scarring if left untreated.

"Dry eye disease is the single most common diagnosis of patients visiting an optometrist or ophthalmologist office," said RSC Advisory Board member Eric Donnenfeld, M.D. of Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island. "Thankfully, we have many new treatments that have been FDA approved and even more in the pipeline."

Recent significant advancements in the management and treatment of dry eye include drops to reduce inflammation, medications to increase tear production and devices that unblock and stimulate the oil glands to help produce eye-lubricating tears.

Normal, healthy eyes include a high-quality tear film lubricating the surface of the eye. The quality of the tear film and the surface of the eye play a large role in a person's quality of vision. Dry eye can disrupt the tear film and impact the ocular surface, which must be pristine to support crisp, clear vision. Even mild cases of dry eye can cause blurred or distorted vision. Maintaining the integrity of the surface of the eye is essential to the health of the eye, and its focusing power.

For those with vision correction needs it is important to understand that dry eye symptoms are not a disqualifier for laser vision correction. In fact, dry eye is often identified during the LASIK consultation, when treatments to address the underlying issues can be recommended. Restoring the tear film and cornea to a healthy state is essential for optimal visual outcomes from vision correction procedures.

"In the past, the most common reason for patients to experience dry eye following LASIK was the fact that the patient had dry eye before their surgery," continued Dr. Donnenfeld. "There are multiple risk factors for dry eye and part of a thorough evaluation of patients for LASIK is a dry eye examination. By diagnosing dry eye preoperatively with modern diagnostic techniques and therapies, many patients who were not good candidates in the past are now excellent candidates for LASIK."

Recent FDA clinical data shows the majority of patients who experienced dry eye symptoms prior to LASIK reported the symptoms disappeared within three months after the procedure. Not surprisingly, dry eye conditions often lead patients with vision correction needs to explore their options with procedures such as LASIK, SMILE, ICL, or PRK. RSC recommends taking time to become informed about these options and working with a highly qualified refractive surgery to determine candidacy and recommendations for one or more procedures.

About the Refractive Surgery Council
Formed in 2010, the Refractive Surgery Council is a leading voice in the field of refractive surgery. Its members are comprised of industry representatives from Alcon, Bausch & Lomb, Johnson & Johnson Vision Surgical, Staar Surgical, and Zeiss, as well as medical organizations, including the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), the American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery (AECOS), the International Society for Refractive Surgery (ISRS) and the Refractive Surgery Alliance Society (RSA). Through its educational programs, RSC helps people make informed choices about laser vision correction. For more information, visit www.AmericanRefractiveSurgeryCouncil.org.

Lisa Spicer
Engaged Communication
+1 818-914-2579
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