When Your Eyes Are Dry | Incheon Dry Eyes
Table of Contents
Dry Eye Syndrome: It feels as if invisible grains of sand are rolling around in my eyes.
From the moment I open my eyes in the morning, a feeling of stiffness and foreign body sensation persists all day. By the afternoon, my eyes easily become bloodshot, and my vision even blurs.
“I can't live without artificial tears. Even a little bit of computer use makes my eyes sting and feel stiff, making it impossible to work. My eyes water incessantly even with a slight breeze.”
Dry eye syndrome is not simply a matter of dry eyes.
It is a problem that adds discomfort and fatigue to every moment of daily life and degrades the quality of life, as my eyes, the most precious window to view the world, cannot comfortably rest.
The 'Protective Film' of Tears is Evaporating
Our eyes are always moistly covered by tears. These tears are not merely a watery layer, but a sophisticated 'protective film' coated with a thin 'lipid layer' on top.
This lipid layer plays the most crucial role in preventing the watery layer from easily evaporating.
However, due to excessive smartphone use, dry environments, aging, etc., if the function of the Meibomian glands in the eyelids deteriorates and this lipid coating becomes deficient, what happens?
The watery layer, having lost its protective film, is exposed directly to the atmosphere and evaporates far too easily.
The reason why eyes sting and feel dry even though tears are continually produced, and the reason why tears stream down in a cold breeze, is precisely because this protective film is compromised.
When the River of the 'Liver (肝)' Dries, the 'Eyes (目)' Also Dry
In traditional Korean medicine (TKM), the eyes are regarded as the 'windows of the Liver (肝)'. This means that one can glimpse the function of the Liver through the health of the eyes.
Furthermore, the eyes are sometimes likened to 'fruit' hanging from a 'tree' that represents the 'Liver (肝)'.
If the roots of the tree (the Liver) cannot sufficiently draw up blood and nutrients (Liver Blood, 肝血), then the fruit (the eyes) hanging at its end will naturally wither and dry out.
Overwork, stress, and frequent smartphone use are the main culprits that most rapidly deplete the Liver's blood and vital fluids.
Therefore, TKM treatment does not merely water the fruit, like artificial tears, but focuses on nourishing and hydrating the 'roots of the tree (the Liver) itself (replenishing Liver Blood/nourishing Yin, 補肝血/滋陰)', thereby building fundamental strength so that the fruit can become moist and bright again on its own.
3 Hydrating Habits for Dry Eyes
Lifestyle management is needed to prevent the evaporation of moisture from the eyes and to support the function of the tear glands and Meibomian glands.
Habit 1: Eye Rest
When looking at a computer or smartphone, consciously blink your eyes frequently. The '20-20-20' rule, which involves looking at something 20 feet (about 6 meters) away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes, is a good way to relieve eye strain.
Habit 2: Humidity Care
A dry indoor environment is an enemy to your eyes. It's important to use a humidifier to increase indoor humidity and to be careful that heater or air conditioner drafts do not directly hit your face.
Habit 3: Lid Hygiene
You should manage to prevent the oil glands (Meibomian glands) located along the eyelid margins from becoming blocked. After applying a warm compress with a warm towel, gently cleaning the eyelids with a non-irritating cleanser helps in the formation of a healthy lipid layer.
Before 'Stiffness' Leads to 'Corneal Damage'
Dry eye syndrome is often lightly dismissed as 'something everyone experiences' and left untreated.
However, eyes without a protective film being continuously exposed to dry environments is like constantly scraping the 'cornea', the outermost surface of our eyes, with 'sandpaper'.
At the end of this path, beyond mere discomfort, lies 'corneal damage' where repeated microscopic scratches on the cornea can lead to chronic inflammation and pain, and even vision loss in severe cases.
Recognizing the stiff and stinging signals my eyes are sending now, and working to rebuild the eye's protective film, goes beyond simply alleviating discomfort; it is the wisest choice to protect the precious 'window' through which we see the world from long-term damage.