Accessibility Guideline for Reading with Dry Eyes

How to Minimize Pain while Reading with Dry Eyes?

Dry eye is a common problem, especially for those who spend a lot of time reading or using digital devices. Here are some accessibility guidelines to make reading easier for individuals with dry eyes:

• Avoid glare: Glare from screens or bright lighting makes dry eyes worse. Position screens and lighting to minimize glare, and consider using an anti-glare screen protector.
• Take breaks: Frequent breaks help prevent eye strain and dryness. Encourage readers to take breaks every 20 minutes and look away from the screen or text for a few seconds.
• Use eye drops: Over-the-counter eye drops help alleviate dryness and provide temporary relief for people with dry eyes. Encourage readers to keep eye drops on hand and use them as needed.
• Provide alternatives: Consider providing alternative formats for reading materials, such as audiobooks, screenreaders, or large-print books, for individuals with chronic dry eyes.
• Use Text-to-Speech Software: Instead of reading for hours, listen to the content with TTS technology.

What are the Causes of Dry Eyes?

Here are some causes of dry eyes:

• Aging: As we age, our eyes produce fewer tears, leading to dryness and discomfort. Your dry eye symptoms might be due to clogged meibomian glands in the eyelids. The meibomian glands produce oil to help the tears lubricate the surface of your eye.
• Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus affect the quality and quantity of tears produced by the eyes.
• Medications: Certain medications, such as antihistamines, decongestants, and antidepressants cause dry eyes as a side effect.
• Environmental factors: Exposure to wind, dry air, and smoke cause the tears to evaporate more quickly, leading to dryness and irritation.
• Prolonged use of digital devices: Staring at digital screens for extended periods of time cause the eyes to become dry and uncomfortable.
• Contact lens use: Contact lenses absorb tears, leading to dryness and discomfort.
• Hormonal changes: Changes in hormone levels, such as during pregnancy or menopause, cause dry eyes.
• Eyelid problems: Certain eyelid problems, such as blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction affect the production of tears and cause dryness.

Reading is often a challenge for people who have dry eyes. Lawyers, teachers, doctors, patent clerks, and others who have to do a lot of reading during the day find that their dry eye condition hinders their ability to function normally.

Also, children who have to tilt their heads up to view a screen that is positioned for adult use experience more severe dry eye and other eye problems.

What are the Symptoms of Dry Eye?

• Dryness: A feeling of dryness or grittiness in the eyes, especially after extended periods of reading or computer use.
• Redness: Redness and irritation of the eyes.
• Blurry vision: Blurry vision or difficulty focusing, especially after extended periods of reading or computer use.
• Sensitivity to light: Sensitivity to light or glare.
• Watery eyes: Paradoxically, dry eyes cause increased production of tears in response to irritation.
• Eye fatigue: Eye fatigue or a feeling of tiredness in the eyes.
• Eye pain: A burning or stinging sensation in the eyes.
• Difficulty wearing contact lenses: Discomfort or difficulty wearing contact lenses due to dryness.

See an eye doctor to be sure that you have dry eye syndrome. If it is not healed on time, it is possible to end up with LASIK, cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, refractive surgery, or thyroid surgery. It is important to pay attention to your eye health and see an ophthalmologist to take an eye exam.

What is the Dry Eye Treatment?

Here are the most common treatment options for dry eye and applying eye care:

• Artificial tears: Over-the-counter artificial tears help relieve dryness and provide temporary relief. They work by lubricating the eyes and providing moisture to the surface of the eye.
• Prescription medications: If over-the-counter artificial tears are not effective, your optometrist prescribes prescription eye drops to treat dry eyes.
• Warm compresses: Applying a warm compress to the eyes helps unblock the oil glands in the eyelids, which improves the quality of the tears and alleviates dryness.
• Eyelid hygiene: Keeping the eyelids clean helps improve the quality of the tears and reduce dryness. Your healthcare provider recommends using a mild soap or cleanser to gently clean the eyelids.
• Lifestyle changes: Making lifestyle changes also helps heal dry eyes. This includes taking frequent breaks from digital screens, using a humidifier to add moisture to the air, and avoiding exposure to windy or dry environments.
• Nutritional supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids help improve the quality of the tears and reduce dryness.

Treatment of dry eye disease is performed in a step-wise approach that varies depending on the severity of the disease. Initial approaches include education about the condition, modification of the environment (eliminating direct high airflow/fans, reduced screen time, humidifier), identification and elimination of offending topical and systemic agents, topical ocular lubricants, and lid hygiene (warm compresses and lid scrubs), oral essential fatty acids. 

Frequently Asked Questions