According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, one of the primary reasons that might lead to growth of dry eye may be pathogenesis of the disease by sex steroid hormones.

It is considered that the symptoms of dry eye first appear in adults over the age of 40 years, but there may be times when the disease appears in people in the age group of 20-30 years.

Dr. Debra Schaumberg, author of the study and director of ophthalmic epidemiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, said that women are more likely to be infected with dry eye syndrome (DES) than men.

Dry Eye Syndrome is a medical condition that is characterized by an insufficiency in the quality or quantity of tears. When an individual is suffering from DES, his daily living may be impacted in more than just one way.

From News-Medical.Net:

Despite the fact that DES is one of the most common reasons people seek care from eye doctors, it may be clinically disregarded. “DES is relatively overlooked because it is not on the short list of major causes of blindness and visual impairment,” Schaumberg said.

DES is not a common cause of vision loss, but it is still a serious issue for people who have it. People with DES often complain that their eyes are burning and feel itchy and painful. Many also complain of a constant feeling of sandiness or grittiness in their eyes. The symptoms tend to get worse as the day progresses.

If the symptoms persist, they can present other problems for sufferers. According to Schaumberg, “people with DES are bothered by irritative ocular symptoms which can be likened to other chronic pain syndromes wherein such ongoing problems may also lead to a general sense of ill health or psychological comorbidities.” In other words, persistent DES symptoms can be as debilitating as other chronic illnesses and lead to larger physical and emotional health problems.

There is no cure for DES, “but its irritations can most certainly be alleviated and its effects most certainly treated,” writes Dr. Robert Latkany, founder and director of the Dry Eye Clinic at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, in his new book, “The Dry Eye Remedy.”

The current treatment methodologies for DES are artificial tear solutions, topical steroids, and anti-inflammatory agents and procedures to plug the tear ducts and surgery.