Julie Bowen of ‘Modern Family’ gets real about chronic dry eye diagnosis

Itchy, purple, irritated eyes might be a symptom of many issues, however power dry eye is a typical perpetrator.

Dry eye is a situation that happens when the eyes don’t produce sufficient high quality tears, resulting in burning, stinging and normal ocular discomfort, in keeping with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Julie Bowen, greatest recognized for her function as Claire Dunphy on the sitcom “Fashionable Household,” spoke with Fox Information Digital in an on-camera interview about her latest analysis with the situation.

BOY FACING BLINDNESS GETS LIFE-CHANGING EYE SURGERY: ‘SUCH A BLESSING’

Whereas the actress was on set for the brand new comedic thriller “Hysteria!”, she observed that her contacts would dry out because of the “smoky” atmosphere, she stated.

Throughout a break from capturing, Bowen went to go to her eye physician, who instructed her she had dry eye, a progressive situation that’s largely attributable to irritation.

“You’ll be able to’t simply moist the highest of your eyeball and deal with the irritation, which is what I had been attempting to do [with eyedrops],” she stated.

Bowen was prescribed an anti-inflammatory eye drop, Xiidra, and used it as prescribed twice a day for about 9 months.

VIRGINIA IS FIRST STATE TO MAKE LEAF-PEEING POSSIBLE FOR COLORBLIND GUESTS IN EVERY PARK

Though it wasn’t an instantaneous repair, Bowen reported that over time, she was capable of maintain her contact lenses in “longer and longer.”

“I’m capable of not really feel my eyeballs,” she stated. “One of many eye medical doctors I used to be working with … instructed me, ‘You’re not alleged to really feel your eyeballs.’ And I used to be like, ‘Oh, proper!’ Should you really feel your eyeballs, one thing’s unsuitable.”

Bowen was recognized with dry eye, a progressive situation that’s largely attributable to irritation. (JC Olivera/Getty Photographs; iStock)

Causes of dry eye 

Dr. Derek Cunningham, director of Dell Laser Consultants in Austin, Texas, instructed Fox Information Digital in an interview that dry eye is available in “all completely different varieties.”

Cunningham, who treats individuals from all around the U.S. at Dell Laser’s devoted dry eye heart, known as dry eye the “doubtlessly most prevalent illness” in North America.

 “We sit on the laptop all day with out hydration, and that builds up irritation over time.”

Fashionable life, together with frequent laptop use, have pushed an uptick in dry eye circumstances, as the attention is the “highest-friction space of the human physique,” the physician stated.

“You blink 10,000 instances a day,” he went on. “The tear movie is bringing vitamins to your cornea.”

“So, your tears usually are not only a lubricant — they’re truly the lifeline of your cornea and the entrance of your eye.”

COVID LOCKDOWNS LED TO SPIKE IN KIDS’ VISION PROBLEMS, 1 IN 3 NOW NEARSIGHTED, STUDY FINDS

As individuals age, fewer tears are produced resulting from hormonal adjustments, in keeping with Cunningham – and ladies undergo from dry eye greater than males because of this.

Younger staff in forced-air environments, like workplaces, are most in danger, he famous.

Adjustments in hormones and medicine can worsen dryness, in addition to inflammatory points all through the physique like joint ache or abdomen issues, the physician cautioned. (iStock)

“Whenever you stare at a pc display, your blink charge can go down to 2 to 4 instances a minute; on common, it’s alleged to be about 20 to 40 instances a minute,” he stated. “We sit on the laptop all day with out hydration, and that builds up irritation over time.”

Typing on a pc for an extended time frame is “actually like sprinting on your eyes,” the skilled famous. 

Signs to know

Dry eye can have completely different signs primarily based on gender, ethnicity and different variables, however some “hallmark” indicators are constant dryness, fluctuating imaginative and prescient and general consciousness of your eyes all through the day, in keeping with Cunningham.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“You shouldn’t discover that your eyes are in your head,” he stated. “And for those who discover they’re there, that is mostly dry eye.”

Really useful treatments

When treating dry eye, there may be “nobody product for everyone,” stated Cunningham.

Some choices embrace anti-inflammatory eye drops, tearduct plugs, intense pulsed mild remedy (IPL) and different laser remedies.

Whereas synthetic tears could be a “refreshing software,” prescription steroids and anti inflammatory drops are wanted to deal with the irritation, Cunningham stated.

Eyes weren’t “constructed” to stare at a pc display for lengthy intervals of time, in keeping with an skilled. (iStock)

Pores and skin can also be “intimately concerned” in dry eye, Cunningham famous, as irritation within the pores and skin, or rosacea, can have a direct correlation to the situation.

“Now we have to look extra on the pores and skin in your face in an effort to actually handle dry eye,” the physician stated.

For extra Health articles, go to www.foxnews.com/well being

Bowen encourages everybody to get routine eye exams, notably these with dry eye signs. Because the situation is progressive and can worsen with time, it is essential to “get forward” of it, she stated.

“It’s not going to get higher for those who’re not treating the irritation,” Bowen added.

Anti-inflammatory eye drops are used to assist cease the immune system from “shutting down tear manufacturing,” which will help with dry eye, in keeping with consultants. (iStock)

Making life-style adjustments — like consuming a well-rounded weight loss plan that features anti-inflammatory meals and exercising frequently — may also assist, Cunningham stated.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Just a little little bit of caffeine will assist dry eye, however a number of caffeine makes it method worse,” the skilled famous, whereas ingesting water would not appear to have an influence.

Cunningham added, “Getting on issues early and stopping the development is the important thing.”