안구 건조증을 위한 인공 눈물 사용법
인공 눈물은 특히 눈이 건조할 때 눈을 윤활하고 보습하는 데 사용되는 액체다. 인공 눈물을 어떤 식으로 사용해야 할지 이번 글에서 알아보자.
인공 눈물은 자연 눈물과 유사한 기능을 수행하기 위한 제품이다. 특히 눈의 적절한 수분을 유지해주므로 안구 건조증을 유발하는 조건에서 애용된다. 이번 글에서는 인공 눈물 사용법에 관해 이야기해보겠다.
인공 눈물의 적용은 윤활 부족으로 인한 눈 염증이나 자극을 줄이며 다른 관련 합병증으로부터 보호한다. 그렇다면 올바른 사용법은 무엇인지 자세히 알아보자.
안구 건조와 가능한 원인
안구 건조는 가려움증이나 작열감 같은 성가신 증상을 일으키는 흔한 문제다. 컴퓨터 앞에서 또는 에어컨이 설치된 방에서 많은 시간을 보내면서 유발되는 일시적인 상태일 수도 있다.
그러나 다음과 같은 경우 이 증상이 만성화하기도 한다.
어느 쪽이든, 안구 건조는 시력이 흐려지거나 눈 피로를 유발하는 등 다양한 형태의 불편함을 유발한다. 이 상태에 대한 가장 실용적인 해결책이 인공 눈물이다.
인공 눈물이란?
인공 눈물은 건조한 눈을 윤활하고 눈의 외부 표면에 수분을 유지하는 데 도움이 되는 액체로 안구 건조 증후군으로 고통받는 사람들의 주요 치료법이다.
인공 눈물 기능은 실제 눈물 구성을 모방하는 것이다. 단, 브랜드에 따라 구성이 다를 수 있는데 더 정확하게 말하면 다음 요소 중 하나 이상을 포함한다.
- 안구 윤활제: 모든 브랜드에 포함되어 있다. 손상이 있을 때 눈의 표면을 치유한다.
- 구아검: 종종 유성 방울에 존재하며 심한 안구 건조 증상을 완화한다.
- 방부제: 박테리아가 액체 내부에서 자라는 것을 방지한다.
인공 눈물은 처방전 없이 약국에서 구입할 수 있다. 자신에게 가장 적합한 브랜드를 찾기 전에 여러 브랜드 제품을 써 봐야 한다. 더 심한 상태에는 연고나 젤을 사용한 다.
올바른 인공 눈물 선택법
인공 눈물은 일반적으로 안구 건조증의 첫 번째 치료 옵션이다. 그러나 특히 문제가 만성적이거나 매우 심각한 경우 개인 맞춤 치료를 받는 것이 중요하다.
즉, 가장 좋은 방법은 인산염과 방부제가 없는 제품을 사용하는 것이다. 마찬가지로, 낮은 삼투압 농도, 즉 용해된 물질의 농도가 낮은 것이 좋다. 이는 안구 건조증에 항상 존재하는 과도한 염분 또는 고삼투압 농도를 보상한다.
인공 눈물마다 점도가 다르다는 점에 유의하자. 유동성이 높으면 효과가 오래 지속되지만 시야가 흐려지기 때문에 불편해서 대개 밤에 자기 전에만 사용한다.
인공 눈물 안전성
일반적으로 인공 눈물은 안전하다. 방부제가 포함된 제품만 약간의 주의가 필요하다. 대용량 제품도 있으며 포함된 방부제는 약물에서 박테리아가 자라는 것을 방지하지만 일부 사람의 눈을 자극한다.
방부제가 없는 인공 눈물은 일회용 포장으로 제공되므로 사용 후 폐기한다. 일반적으로 더 비싸지만 하루에 네 번 이상 사용해야 하는 사람들에게 안전하다.
그러나 두 가지 유형 모두 시력이 흐려지거나 알레르기 반응을 일으킬 수 있다. 점안액 사용 후 작열감, 가려움증, 염증 등의 불편함을 느끼면 사용을 중지하자. 또한 현기증, 메스꺼움 또는 호흡 곤란이 있으면 즉시 의사의 도움을 받는다.
안구건조증에 인공 눈물 사용
방부제가 들어간 인공눈물은 하루 4번 이상 넣으면 안 된다. 그러나 방부제가 없다면 최대 8회까지 사용할 수 있다. 어떤 경우든 의사 지시를 따른다.
인공 눈물을 넣기 전에 손을 잘 씻는다. 콘택트렌즈를 빼고(사용하는 경우) 인공 눈물 병을 흔든 다음 아래 단계를 따른다.
- 고개를 약간 뒤로 젖혀 위를 쳐다본다.
- 병 끝이나 병 가장자리를 만지지 말고 엄지, 검지, 중지로 약병을 잡는다.
- 눈을 감는다.
- 눈꺼풀을 건드리지 않고 코 근처 눈가에 한 방울 떨어뜨린다.
- 눈을 뜨고 인공 눈물이 눈 안쪽으로 움직일 때까지 여러 번 깜박인다.
- 다른 쪽 눈에 똑같이 한다.
- 병뚜껑을 단단히 닫고 치운 다음 다시 손을 씻는다.
최종 권장 사항
콘택트렌즈는 안구건조증을 유발한다. 이러면 의사에게 가장 적합한 인공 눈물을 추천해 달라고 요청하는 것이 가장 좋다. 0.15% 히알루론산을 함유하고 방부제가 없는 제품을 거의 항상 권장한다.
적목 현상 또는 충혈 완화제는 종종 안구 건조 증상을 악화하여 권장되지 않는다. 인공 눈물 사용이 효과적이지 않다면 안과 의사와 상의하여 다른 치료 옵션을 찾는 것이 중요하다.
What Works to Treat Dry Eye? The Best Eye Drops and Home Remedies
Key takeaways:
Over-the-counter (OTC) eye drops, like artificial tears, and prescription eye drops, like Restasis (cyclosporine) and Xiidra (lifitegrast), are effective treatments for dry eye.
Home remedies for dry eyes include avoiding wind and smoke, using a humidifier, and doing eyelid scrubs or warm compresses.
You should contact your healthcare provider if you have severe dry eye symptoms or if your dry eyes do not improve after a few weeks of self-treatment.
Dry eyes are a common complaint for many people. People over the age of 65, especially women (due to hormone changes), may frequently have this problem.
Dry eye is no fun, either: You might have a gritty or burning sensation in your eyes, excessive tears, sensitivity to light, and even blurry vision. Some people use over-the-counter (OTC) products such as artificial tears (polyvinyl alcohol) to cope, while others turn to prescription medications, like Restasis (cyclosporine), to treat chronic dry eye.
Here’s how to weigh the options.
What causes dry eye?
Dry eye has several possible causes:
1. Less tear production (fewer tears made): Decreased tear production is usually related to a problem in the tear (lacrimal) gland. Sjögren’s syndrome is a medical condition that directly reduces tear production, but older age, diabetes, and contact lens use can also cause fewer tears. It’s common for the tear duct — which brings tears from the tear gland to the eye surface — to become blocked as you get older.
2. Increased tear loss (more tear evaporation): Increased tear loss means excessive water loss from the eye surface without any issues involving your tear duct. Increased tear evaporation is most commonly caused by a condition called posterior blepharitis (swollen eyelids). Decreased blinking, allergies involving the eyes, and chronic contact lens use can also increase tear loss.
Other things that can put you at risk for dry eyes include:
Age: You make less tears as you age. For women undergoing menopause, dry eye is even more common because hormone changes affect tear production.
Medical conditions: Some autoimmune conditions and COVID-19 infection can also cause dry eye.
Medications: Some medications can cause you to make less tears. Examples are allergy medications and blood pressure medications.
Eye conditions: Prior eye surgery and blepharitis can also cause dry eye.
Environment: People who live in windy or dry climates or who spend long periods of time looking at electronic screens are more likely to develop dry eye.
What treatments work for dry eye?
Fortunately, no matter the cause of your dry eye there are several treatments. You can choose the OTC or prescription treatment for dry eye that you feel most comfortable with.
Over-the-counter dry eye drops
Using OTC eye drops, like artificial tears, are one of the first-choice treatments for dry eye. They come in many brands and forms (e.g. liquid, gel, ointment) without a prescription.
Preservative-free OTC eye drops tend to be more expensive, but they are often recommended if you are sensitive to preservatives or if you’ll be using them for a while. One drop four times a day is the place to start, and you may feel relief in a few days. Also, remember that gels and ointments can blur vision because they are greasy.
It’s possible that you could have itchy eyes along with dry eye symptoms. In these cases, artificial tears may be helpful. But you may find more relief from other OTC eye drops as well. Antihistamine eye drops, like olopatadine (Pataday) and ketotifen (Alaway, Zaditor), block histamine in the eyes to help relieve itchiness. Decongestant eye drops like naphazoline/glycerin (Clear Eyes) can help to treat dry, burning eyes.
Prescription eye drops for dry eyes
If your dry eye symptoms are more severe, you may need to use prescription eye drops. Two prescription eye drops are FDA approved to treat dry eyes: Restasis, which has been on the market for several years, and Xiidra (lifitegrast), a newer dry eye treatment. Both are usually dosed as one drop in each eye twice a day, about 12 hours apart.
Restasis is a brand-name formulation of the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporine. It’s available with a prescription for the treatment of chronic dry eye. With Restasis, it can take months to see noticeable improvements. This medication can be expensive, but after many years with no generic, there is a generic version of Restasis approved by the FDA.
Xiidra is a brand-name only prescription eye drop that was FDA approved in 2016. It’s not completely understood how Xiidra works to help with dry eyes, but it seems to affect proteins in the eyes to lower inflammation. Some people report that Xiidra starts working within 2 weeks of taking it, but full effects can take up to about 3 months.
Dry eye home remedies
Depending on the severity of your dry eye symptoms, you may not need eye drops. Sometimes, making changes to your routine or home environment can help clear up your symptoms.
But these dry eye home remedies can be used alongside OTC and prescription eye drops as well.
Changing your environment: Minimizing exposure to air conditioning or heating, and adding a humidifier to your bedroom may also help. You can take screen breaks, avoid smoke, and point fans away from your eyes to reduce dry eye symptoms. Eye care techniques, such as taking out contacts for sleeping, doing eyelid scrubs, and applying a warm compress, can also help.
Taking omega-3 fatty acids: A few studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may improve symptoms of dry eye. In a small study with TheraTears Eye Nutrition Omega-3 Supplement, a single 1,200 mg capsule daily improved dry eye symptoms for people with Sjögren’s syndrome. This could be worth a try.
Getting acupuncture: It’s interesting to note that small studies have shown some improvement in dry eye symptoms following acupuncture therapy.
Other less common treatments for dry eye include punctal plugs and autologous serum tears. Punctal plugs are placed in the tear ducts by an ophthalmologist to keep tears on the eyes for a longer time. Autologous serum eye drops are tears made from your own blood by a special laboratory.
As you consider your options, you’ll want to weigh the costs and benefits. Most often, dry eye is a long-term condition that requires daily treatment. Only rarely is there a specific cause of dry eye that can be eliminated, like a medication side effect or symptom of uncontrolled diabetes.
This means that if you have chronic dry eye, you may be using a treatment indefinitely — and the cost could add up. A typical prescription of brand-name Restasis can cost an upward of several hundreds of dollars, though a manufacturer discount coupon may bring that cost to $0 for people with commercial insurance. You also may qualify to receive free medication from the manufacturer from myAbbVie Assist, the Restasis patient assistance program. Additionally, a bottle of artificial tears can cost as little as $5 with a GoodRx discount.
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Is it OK to use dry eye drops everyday?
It depends. For OTC dry eye drops like artificial tears, the FDA indicates that use should be temporary. There is no specific length of time given by the FDA where OTC eye drops become unsafe.
You should check with your healthcare provider if you’ve been using OTC eye drops for several weeks with no improvement. Your HCP can help you avoid risks with long-term use, like eye damage or masking underlying eye problems.
For prescription eye drops for dry eyes, like Restasis and Xiidra, you should use the eye drops as recommended by your healthcare provider, which is usually every day. If you have eye irritation, burning or other side effects, let your healthcare provider know.
Can eye drops worsen eyes?
Dry eye drop treatments are not likely to damage the eyes or worsen eyesight, even when used for chronic dry eye, but it is possible.
For example, eye drops with preservatives can cause eye damage if used long term. With Xiidra, you may notice blurry vision right after using the drops, but this clears up quickly. Eye ointments and gels can also cause temporary blurry vision because they are thicker, but it’s not likely they will damage the eyes.
The bottom line
Dry eye is a common symptom that can be treated with eye drops and other remedies. OTC eye drops, like artificial tears, can help relieve pain and burning from dry eye. If your eyes are also itchy, antihistamine or decongestant OTC eye drops can also be helpful. Prescription eye drops for dry eye include Restasis and Xiidra, and it usually takes some time for these drops to relieve your symptoms.
Home remedies and changing your environment can also help with dry eye. Exposure to smoke, wind, and long screen times can worsen dry eye, so minimizing those exposures can be helpful. Other remedies for dry eye that may help include eyelid scrubs, warm compresses, and acupuncture.
If you have severe dry eye symptoms, or if your dry eye does not get better after a few weeks of self-treatment, you should talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you get the treatment that’s right for you.
