Dry eye syndrome lurks those who work staring at screens for a long time.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Syndrome dry eyes stalking those who work staring at screens for too long which some people do when working from home, work from home (WFH) during the pandemic. “Dry eyes are caused by various factors, one of which is staring at TV, computers or gadgets for too long,” said Dr Damara Andalia, SpM, in a health webinar, Wednesday (6/10).
Dry eyes are caused by a decrease in the production and quality of tears, which act as lubricants. If left untreated, dry eyes can lead to complications of open wounds on the outer protective layer of the eye, namely the cornea.
This prolonged pandemic situation requires some people to sit or lie down while watching television, reading and staring at screens for long periods of time, one of the risks of dry eyes. Such a lifestyle can trigger or exacerbate dry eye conditions.
Exposure to air conditioning directly for too long also has an effect. Dry eyes can be experienced by people over 50 years old, especially post-menopausal women.
“However, with a digital lifestyle where gadgets cannot be separated from daily life, young adults and even children can experience dry eyes,” said the ophthalmologist from the University of Indonesia.
Dry eyes can also be triggered by environmental factors, such as dust, dryness, wind and cigarette smoke. This can also occur in people who have a history of eye surgery, or have other diseases that trigger dry eyes.
Other factors that can cause dry eyes include wearing contact lenses that are not in accordance with the ophthalmologist’s instructions, and metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Dry eye has a fairly high prevalence in Indonesia, namely 27.5 – 30.6 percent, and is higher in the elderly population, which is 5 to 30 percent. The member of the Indonesian Ophthalmologist Association (PERDAMI) explained that the prevalence of dry eye in patients with metabolic disorders is higher than the general population, reaching more than 20 percent.
“Patients with metabolic disorders and dry eyes must be treated systemically, thoroughly, not only in the eyes,” explained Damara.
source: Between
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