What is dry eyes at night?
For most people, dry eyes at night also mean you have dry eyes throughout the day. You are experiencing eye pain during the night and having to get up and put eye drops in several times throughout the night, interrupting sleep.
So why nighttime dry eyes?
Our body body temperature is lower down during sleep to ensure complete rest. As a result, blood circulation slows down. Delivery of nutrients and blood to the eyes is compromised.
Another common reason for nighttime dry eye is the partial opening of the eyelids. They are allowing tears to evaporate, thus causing dry eyes.
Most people with dry eyes at night also have dry eyes during the day time.
What is dry eyes?
Dry eyes can happen when tears evaporate too quickly, or if the eyes produce too few tears. It is common in humans and in some animals. It can affect one or both eyes, and it can lead to inflammation. Most eye doctor recommends artificial tears for relief. For severe dry eyes, artificial tears no longer work.
Who gets dry eyes?
Dry eye syndrome can occur at any age, and in people who are otherwise healthy. It is more common with older age, when the individual produces fewer tears. It is also more common in women than in men.
People who wear contact lenses have dry eyes more frequently.
Causes of dry eyes
The eyes produce tears all the time, not only when we yawn or experience emotion. Healthy eyes are constantly covered with a fluid, known as a tear film to protect the eye’s surface. It is designed to remain stable between each blink. This prevents dry eyes and enables clear vision.
If the tear glands produce fewer tears, the tear film can become unstable. It can break down quickly, creating dry spots on the surface of the eyes.
Tears are made of water, fatty oils, protein, electrolytes, substances to fight off bacteria, and growth factors. The mixture helps keep the surface of the eyes smooth and clear, so that we can see properly.
Dry eyes can result from:
- an imbalance in the tear mixture, so that it evaporates too fast
- insufficient tear for good eye health
- wearing contact lenses.
Other causes include eyelid problems, some drugs, and environmental factors.
Watery eyes can be dry eyes
Watery eyes can be caused by dry eyes. Watery eyes is called reflux tear which you have no control of. Possible reason is the clogging of tear ducts responsible for excess tear drainage. In that case, your eye doctor try to open up the tear ducts.
Imbalance in the tear mixture
The tear film has three layers, oil, water, and mucus. Problems with any of these can lead to dry eye symptoms.
The top layer, oil, comes from the edges of the eyelids, where the meibomian glands produce lipids, or fatty oils. The oil smooths the tear surface and slows down the rate of evaporation. Faulty oil levels can cause the tears to evaporate too quickly resulting in poor quality tears
Inflammation of the eyelids
Inflammation along the edge of the eyelids, known as blepharitis, as well as rosacea and some other skin disorders, can cause the meibomian glands to become blocked, making dry eyes more likely.
The middle layer is the thickest, consisting of water and salt. The lacrimal glands, or tear glands, produce this layer. They cleanse the eyes and wash away particles and irritants.
Problems with this layer can lead to film instability. If the water layer is too thin, the oil and mucus layers may touch each other, resulting in a stringy discharge, a hallmark sign of dry eyes.
The inner layer, mucus, enables the tears to spread evenly over the eyes. A malfunction can lead to dry patches on the cornea, the front surface of the eye.
Reduced tear production
After the age of 40 years, tear production tends to fall. When it drops to a certain point, the eyes can become dry and easily irritated and inflamed. This is more common in women, and especially after the menopause, possibly due to hormonal changes.
Reduced tear volume is also linked to:
- autoimmune diseases, like Sjogren’s syndrome, lupus, scleroderma or rheumatoid arthritis
- radiation treatment
- diabetes
- vitamin A deficiency
- refractive eye surgeries, such as laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), increase the chance of dry eyes, but the symptoms are usually temporary
How TheraLife can help
Theralife Eye capsules are an oral dry eye treatment that promotes the delivery of blood and nutrients to the eyes to increase tear production. The potent anti-inflammatory properties help you heal.
TheraLife Eye capsules –
take four right before bedtime to increase tear production with balanced tear film. No messy tapes, no ointment, no artificial tears.
We recommend four capsules of Theralife Eye right before bedtime. No more artificial tears.
Theralife products are 100% natural, suitable for vegans.
Conventional home remedies for dry eyes at night
Here are some of the most frequently recommended treatment by your eye doctor -options for patients with nighttime dry eye:
- Taping the Lids Shut – For those whose eyelids are partially open. Use a small piece of paper tape and tape the upper and lower lids together. The tape helps the eyelids create a seal. Everyone has tape, but for many sleeping with tape on the face isn’t comfortable, and sometimes it comes off. It can also be annoying when a person puts the tape on and then realizes there’s something they need to do before bed or if they need to get up for the bathroom in the middle of the night.
- Eye drop ointments – Eye doctor prescribe this frequently. Every night before bed, an ointment is applied to help keep the eyes lubricated. It can temporarily blur your vision. For some, the ointment doesn’t last through the night, and they may still wake with dry eyes.
- Hydrating sleep mask – Place a specialty moisture mask over the eyes. The mask seals in moisture to help keep eyes lubricated. It also protects the eyes from the surrounding environment, including air leaks from a CPAP mask.
- Plug up tear ducts to shore up tears for dry eye relief.
What causes nighttime dry eye?
There are several causes of nighttime dry eye, including Nocturnal Lagophthalmos, Compromised Lid Seal, Sleep Apnea, Floppy Eye, and Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye.
Nocturnal Lagophthalmos –
occurs when the eyelid does not close during sleep. It’s easy to see how slightly open eyes can lead to dry eyes just from evaporation. Impartial lid closure can also prevent natural tears from spreading correctly. Diagnosis of this condition is vital since people with Lagophthalmos patients are more likely to experience recurrent corneal erosions.
Compromised Lid –
Compromised Lid Seal occurs when the upper and lower lids do not create a perfect seal. Perhaps the lower eyelid is a bit thicker than the upper lid and so sticks out farther, similar to a teeth underbite.
Sleep Apnea-
is a condition in which breathing stops and starts throughout the night. It can lead to nighttime dry eye because: Sleep apnea leads to a lack of oxygenation of the optic nerve head during sleep.
CPAP–
a standard treatment for sleep apnea is the use of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) mask that covers the nose and mouth. The mask is very effective for treating sleep apnea but often does not create a perfect seal. If the air leaks are near the eyes, then the dry eye is a result.
Floppy Eye Syndrome-
occurs when there is extensive lid laxity. For some, the eyelids can “flip over” during sleep from rubbing against the pillow. It can lead to tearing film abnormality and dry eyes.
Insufficient Tear –
haslong been thought to be the leading cause of dry eye. Dry eyes lead to imbalanced tear film due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), which is the leading cause of dry eye. Insufficient tear production leading to aqueous deficient dry eye is the lack of tear production.
How many people experience dry eyes at night?
- Lagophthalmos can be found in anywhere from 4% up to 20% of the population
- Compromised Lid Seal is in 79% of all dry eye people (14% of people are dry eye patients)
- Sleep apnea affects 22 million adults in the United States
- Aqueous Deficient Dry Eye occurs in Sjögren’s Patients of which there are over 4 million in the United States
The estimate indicates that between 27 million – 118 million adults in the United States have nighttime dry eye.
Since these conditions can overlap, the answer to how many people have dry eyes at night is likely somewhere between those two numbers. A surprising number of adults, nighttime is probably the time of day that their eyes need the most help.
Get help from TheraLife today – don’t delay.
Call and talk to a doctor toll free 1-877-917-1989 US/Canada.
International b650-949-6080. Email: [email protected]
References
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