About five to 15% of the population in the country has dry eye syndrome. Some of the major factors that have made it a common problem are conditions of the modern lifestyle, where people look at a computer or mobile phone for long periods of time without blinking regularly, according to Amar Agarwal, chairman of Dr. Agarwal’s Group of Eye Hospitals.
When you have dry eyes, you do not have enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Other causes are: over-exposure to artificial lights, long-term use of contact lenses and air pollution. Age, gender, certain medications and medical conditions also play a role, he said in a press release.
So what are the symptoms of dry eyes? Dr. Agarwal added that people with dry eyes may experience irritation, scratchy or burning eyes, excess watering and blurred vision. If left untreated, dry eyes can cause light sensitivity, blurred vision and can also permanently harm vision, he pointed out.
On Saturday, Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Porur, launched a facility to diagnose and treat dry eye conditions. D. Jayakumar, Minister for Fisheries, inaugurated the Dry Eye Suite that comprises diagnostic and treatment systems designed to stimulate, restore and maintain normal secretion of tears in the eyes, the release said.
The Minister said that Chennai has established itself as a top medical destination in the country for specialities including ophthalmology. P. Benjamin, Minister for Rural Industries and Kaladevi Sathish, zonal head-Clinical Services of the hospital were present.
