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KENOSHA NEWS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2015 A6 Ideas or comments? Contact Editor: Steve Lund 262-656-6283 [email protected]
Page designer: Mike Larsen All those in favor, say ‘eye' Dry, itchy eyes? Remedies are available BY JESSICA STEPHEN Dry, itchy, watery eyes — all an unavoidable part of winter, right? Not necessarily.
You could be suffering from dry eye, a condition that leaves the eye with too few tears or too much in-eye debris for those tears to lubricate effectively. It affects an estimated 10 million Americans, ac-cording to the American Optomet-ric Association.
"It's actually pretty common, and it's more common in this area now during the heating season," said Dr. John Warren, an optometrist and owner of Warren Eye Care in Racine and Oak Creek.
"Not blaming the heating and air conditioning industry," Warren teased, "but the ambient humid-ity goes down dramatically from Thanksgiving to Easter — there's lower outdoor humidity and there's lower humidity indoors — and I see a lot more patients complaining of the problem at this time of year." Many people mistake dry eye for a side effect of the weather.
"A lot of people think it's because it's windy out and there's nothing they can do," Warren said.
But identifying the symptoms early can usually help eliminate the issue.
"The things that I hear that make me think of dry eye are red, scratchy, burning, blurry vision and, actually, watering eyes, believe it or not," Warren said. "Patients look at your like you're crazy when SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO you say, ‘You have dry eyes,' when Dry, itchy eyes can be treated with prescription eye drops. Those more at-risk for this condition could use a natural tears drop as well.
they're crying all the time. But the eye becomes irritated, and it dumps more tears in. And, in some cases, it Five things to know about dry eye can make it worse." ‘A LOT OF PEOPLE Dry eye is treatable, although Warren admitted it might take a Dry eye is a diagnosable condition that leaves the eye with too few tears or too think it's because it's
combination of over-the-counter much in-eye debris for those tears to lubricate effectively.
and in-offi ce intervention.
windy out and there's
2. More than 10 million Americans experience dry eye, which is often made worse "The best thing you should do by winter weather conditions.
when you start having symptoms is nothing they can do.'
get some artifi cial tears," Warren 3. Older adults, women, people with certain medical conditions (arthritis, diabetes, said. "Not something Ben Stein sells thyroid disease) and certain medications (decongestants, antihistamines and anti- to get the red out, because if you're depressants) could be more likely to experience dry eye. Certain cosmetics can just treating the redness, you might Area optometrist on the cause dry eye. And people who have had laser vision correction or other eye surger- treat the redness but not the under- misconceptions about dr y eye ies also are at higher risk for dry eye. lying condition." Warren suggested a basic over- 4. Dry eye is commonly treated with over-the-counter artifi cial tears, although pre- the-counter eye lubricant. In fact, An in-offi ce visit should involve scription medications are available.
he said, if you think you have dry looking at the eyes with a bio-micro- eye, you might want to pick up Staying hydrated and increasing the humidity in your environment can help pre- "That's the thing where you stick vent dry eye.
"They're not all the same," War- your chin in the dish, and we shine — American Optometric Association ren explained. "Artifi cial tears a bright light in your eyes. We can are like Pepsi, Coke and Mountain actually see the tears and how the Dew. Some people drink only Pepsi tears and the eye are getting along," and swear by it. Some people only can be a complex disease to fi x," ■ People with thyroid issues, ries can prevent dry eye, however.
Warren said.
drink Coke. Some people only drink Warren said.
diabetes and arthritis are at a A prescription eye lubricant, A general humidifi er can add greater risk.
moisture to the air inside homes ■ Certain medications also can Risk factors
and offi ces, while a personal humid- increase the chances of getting dry prescription. In That's why knowing if you're at ifi er or mister can help individuals and they're fi ne. eye, including some decongestants, risk and preventing dry eye before in hospitals, schools and factories, It just depends on antihistamines and antidepres- it starts are so important.
where the air is typically drier.
According to the American Opto- "You can also try to prevent it ■ Those who wear contact inserted to treat metric Association: by staying hydrated," said Warren, lenses, especially soft lenses, or ■ People over age 65 have a an optometrist for 23 years and a trying artifi cial who have had laser vision correc- greater chance of getting dry eye.
former president of the Wisconsin tion or other eye surgeries are also ■ Hormonal changes make Optometric Association. "Most days. If there's at higher risk.
tion of therapies women, especially those who are people in the Midwest are mildly de- still an issue, then FILE PHOTO does the trick.
pregnant, nearing menopause or hydrated. They don't drink enough Eye on prevention
Contact lens wearers are more post-menopausal, more likely to water . I say as I reach for a Diet an appointment.
susceptible to dry, itchy eyes.
experience dry eye.
Even people in those risk catego- People's Pharmacy: Don't run out of Zyrtec on a remote island
Question: I live on a
a warning will be included demonstrated impressive im- headache, blood disorders, for more than two months is remote island in the South
on the label. The best way provement, but the research digestive upset, fatigue, high risky for older people. It can Pacifi c that is almost a
to report such an adverse is still in its early days.
cholesterol, fever and painful lead to C. diff intestinal infec- 12-hour fl ight from Los
drug reaction is at www.
Your neurologist could joints, along with other side tions as well as bone loss and Angeles. A week ago, I ran
legally prescribe Tasigna for out of Zyrtec. During the
Parkinson's disease, but most We are sending you our next four days, I experi-
physicians are cautious about Acid suprressors, bones
Guide to Digestive Disorders enced some of the worst
with a discussion of the pros Question: I have Par-
prescribing unproven medica- Question: My wife and
hives and itchy symptoms
and cons of these medications kinson's disease (PD), and
tions. It would be worth a I are in our 70s. She has
in my entire life. Bena-
and the alternatives. Anyone it is getting progressively
been taking Nexium for
dryl was my only relief,
who would like a copy, please worse. My hands shake
Although the dose for years. We recently read
and working three jobs is
send $3 in check or money so much that it is almost
Parkinson's disease was that this kind of medica-
diffi cult enough without
order with a long (No. 10), punishment to expect.
impossible to hold a cup
much lower than the dose for tion could increase her
the drowsiness Benadryl
stamped (70 cents), self-ad- Answer: We have received without spilling its con-
leukemia, the drug would still risk for bone fracture.
dressed envelope to: Grae- so many reports of itching be expensive. Cancer treat- How could this be true?
Then I read all the sto-
dons' People's Pharmacy, No. and hives associated with Given the recent study
ment with Tasigna costs more Answer: Acid-suppressing ries on your website about
G-3, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, stopping cetirizine (Zyrtec) using reduced doses of the
than $10,000 a month. Insur- drugs such as esomeprazole people experiencing un-
NC 27717-2027. It also can be that we contacted the Food ance rarely covers off-label (Nexium), lansoprazole bearable itching when they
downloaded for $2 from our and Drug Administration. mia drug nilotinib to suc-
(Prevacid) and omeprazole stopped Zyrtec. I immedi-
The agency has not respond- cessfully treat PD, should
We don't know whether (Prilosec) interfere with ately ran out to the only
I ask my neurologist to
the people in the pilot study the absorption of minerals place on island that sells
Like you, most people don't prescribe it off-label?
experienced serious compli- such as calcium and mag- Zyrtec and found instant
In their column, Joe realize that running out of Answer: Nilotinib (Ta- cations from taking low-dose nesium. A recent article in relief. When I am fi nally
Zyrtec could trigger pro- signa) is a leukemia medicine Tasigna for six months. the Journal of the American and Teresa Graedon answer ready to take the plunge of longed itching. If enough in-
that has shown promise in a Used in higher doses for Geriatrics Society (November letters from readers. Write to quitting Zyrtec, at least I
dividuals tell the FDA about pilot study of 12 people with cancer, Tasigna can cause 2015) suggests that taking them via their website: www. have an idea what kind of
this complication, perhaps Parkinson's disease. Some rash, elevated blood sugar, such proton-pump inhibitors COMING WEDNESDAY: Picking a six-pack of Christmas beers

Source: http://www.woa-eyes.org/Dr_%20John%20Warren%20-%20Kenosha%20News%20-%20Dry%20Eye.pdf