Las Vegas Tops National Dry Eye Hot Spots List: First Rankings Based on Factors That Contribute to Eye Condition That Plagues More Than 20 Million Americans1
National Women’s Health Resource Center Declares July as Dry Eye Awareness Month
Red Bank, NJ - The not-for-profit National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC) today released a list of America’s 100 DRY EYE HOT SPOTS, those cities with environmental conditions most likely to contribute to dry eye, a condition which can progress and if left untreated can lead to increased risk of infection and impaired vision.
The rankings are based on an analysis of data archived by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climatic Data Center and the Environmental Protection Agency that considered six factors including temperature, humidity, wind, altitude, pollutants and ocular allergens.2,3,4,5
Las Vegas tops the list, followed by four Texas cities. Other large metropolitan cities on the list include New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Miami. For a complete list of the cities, visit www.healthywomen.org.
“Even if you live in one of the worst cities for dry eye, you don’t have to live with dry eye,” said Marguerite McDonald, MD, FACS, clinical professor of ophthalmology at Tulane University Hospital & Clinic. “Anyone using eye drops several times a day should see an eye care professional who can properly diagnose chronic dry eye and may recommend adding a treatment, such as a prescription eye drop that targets the underlying cause of dry eye.”
Chronic dry eye occurs when changes to the health of the tear-producing glands affect the quantity and quality of tears produced. The tear film can no longer provide enough nourishment or protection to the surface of the eye, explained Dr. McDonald. Dry eye can be a progressive disease and, if left untreated, chronic dry eye can lead to more serious problems.
Dry eye is one of the most common complaints brought to eye doctors, accounting for nearly one fourth of all office visits.6 Nearly 40 percent of Americans suffer from dry eye symptoms, which may include itching, irritation, light sensitivity, blurred vision,7 dryness and foreign body sensation. Those suffering from dry eye may have trouble with reading, professional work, driving at night and using a computer.
In addition to environmental factors, such as those found in the cities on the DRY EYE HOT SPOTS rankings, certain medical factors also can aggravate dry eye, including hormonal changes due to aging and menopause, thyroid problems, vitamin deficiencies, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, lupus, rosacea and Sjögren’s syndrome.8,9
“Women are twice as likely as men to suffer dry eye10 because of hormonal factors and related autoimmune disorders that disproportionately affect women,” said Elizabeth Battaglino Cahill, RN, executive director of the National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC). “It is a growing public health issue that people need to know more about.”
To help raise awareness, the NWHRC has designated July as Dry Eye Awareness Month.
As part of the effort to educate about dry eye, the NWHRC has posted on www.healthywomen.org the rankings of HOT SPOTS cities and a Dry Eye Quiz that people can take to their doctor to help determine whether they have chronic dry eye. Visitors to the Web site also will find information on symptoms, causes, diagnosis, long-term effects and treatment options.
Organizations involved in helping raise public awareness for dry eye include the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Rheumatology, American Optometric Association, Cornea Society, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, Lupus Foundation of America, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, National Rosacea Society, Rosacea Research & Development Institute and Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation.
About Dry Eye Treatment
Treatment is based on disease severity, using a continuum of care approach and an evaluation of the cause of the disease. For the management of dry eye, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends education, environmental control and artificial tears as the beginning of the treatment continuum, with medications and surgery considered as disease severity increases.11
Artificial tears provide symptomatic relief and do not address the underlying cause of dry eye disease. Further, they are a “foundation” for all levels of disease severity and are recommended as a treatment component as other therapies are added.
Many people self-diagnose and use artificial tears to manage dry eye symptoms. If a person uses artificial tears three or more times a day for dry eye symptoms, they should visit an eye doctor. Additional treatments may be recommended for these patients. RESTASIS® (cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion) 0.05% is the first and only prescription eye drop that is believed to increase your eyes’ natural ability to produce tears which may be suppressed by inflammation due to chronic dry eye. Increased tearproduction was not seen in patients using topical steroid drops or tear duct plugs. RESTASIS® should not be used by patients with active eye infections and has not been studied in patients with a history of herpes viral infections of the eye. The most common side effect is a burning sensation. Additional information onRESTASIS® can be found on www.RESTASIS.com.
About The National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC)
The National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC) is the leading independent health information source for women. The non-profit organization develops and distributes up-to-date and objective women’s health information based on the latest advances in medical research and practice. NWHRC believes all women should have access to the most trusted and reliable health information.
The DRY EYE HOT SPOTS rankings are part of a NWHRC educational initiative, sponsored by Allergan, Inc.