Abu Dhabi: Children as young as six years in the UAE are suffering from persistent dry eyes because of the arid climate in the region and the prolonged exposure to smart screens, an ophthalmology expert said in the capital recently.
Without early intervention and care, dry eye syndrome can even end up damaging the cornea, warned Dr Yogesh Kapoor, medical director of Yateem Eye Centre and Day Care Surgery, told Gulf News.
“The rate of people suffering from dry eye syndrome in the country has doubled over the last decade, and the condition is not only uncomfortable but can become irreversible if left untreated. Unfortunately, many people don’t take the symptoms seriously in the early stages,” Dr Kapoor said.
He was speaking after the opening of the Yateem Eye Centre. The ophthalmic care and surgery centre, which is part of the century-old regional eye care provider, Nasser Yateem Group, expects to accommodate about 100 patients a day, providing outpatient care as well as day surgeries for cataract removal and laser vision correction.
According to Dr Kapoor, dry eye syndrome is the fastest growing ophthalmological concern in the UAE, followed by diabetic retinopathy.
On average, human beings tend to blink about 20 times every minute, but this rate decreases to just about 10 blinks a minute when looking at a computer screen, Dr Kapoor said. Because blinking helps spread tears across the cornea and remove irritants, the lowered rate of blinking means that the cornea dries up and can get irritated. This leads to persistent headaches and, ironically, watering of the eyes.
“Over time, the tear-secreting glands can get blocked and inflamed, which leads to further irritation. In addition, blood vessels end up developing on the cornea, which reduces the lustre and transparency of the cornea and results in blurred vision,” the doctor explained.
Dry eye syndrome also worsens with age because tear secretion naturally decreases as people get older.
“With basic training and awareness, people can take steps to combat dry eye, especially if the syndrome is in its early stages,” Dr Kapoor explained. This includes training oneself to blink more often, lubricating the eyes whenever needed and trying to reduce screen use.
The doctor also recommended that children get their first vision checks between three to four years of age to detect any early concerns.
