Abstract
The clinical diagnosis of dry eye syndrome may not appear to be a major health problem; nonetheless it is a chronic condition which affects several million people in Germany. Typical symptoms include discomfort, dryness, foreign body sensation, photophobia and light sensitivity, and it is associated with a significant reduction in the quality of life. Physiological changes associated with aging ...
Abstract
The clinical diagnosis of dry eye syndrome may not appear to be a major health problem; nonetheless it is a chronic condition which affects several million people in Germany. Typical symptoms include discomfort, dryness, foreign body sensation, photophobia and light sensitivity, and it is associated with a significant reduction in the quality of life. Physiological changes associated with aging include decreased tear volume and flow [1], decreased tear film stability [2] and alterations in the composition of the meibomian lipids [3] and are correlated with tear film dysfunction. According to more recent studies into the role of tear film dysfunction in dry eye syndrome, estrogen - which has a clear role in the treatment of various menopausal symptoms - may have an adverse effect on the ocular surface and may predispose to dry eye syndrome. Dry eye syndrome is classified into two major categories: tear deficient dry eye and evaporative dry eye, each of which requires specific treatment. Therapeutic approaches include ocular lubricants and/or viscous agents to restore or increase the lipid layer of the tear film.
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