It’s quite likely you’ve blinked at least once in the last 10 seconds. Everyone knows that it’s something we all do hundreds of times a day, and without ever thinking much about it even if we’re actually aware we’re doing it. People with dry eye disease don’t have that luxury with lubrication, and that’s the answer for what is Restasis used for. It contains cyclosporine and it’s an immunomodulator that helps to promote more tear production by reducing the swelling in the eye that is at the root of dry eye disease. Restasis is very likely what a doctor will prescribe if a patient presents with this condition.
Eyes have a tear film, and all have three layers to them. Inadequate tear projection isn’t a problem for the fatty oil and mucus layers, but it means that the aqueous fluid really suffers. And so that’s the basics for what is Restasis, it makes dry eyes manageable for people and that includes making blinking a lot more of an involuntary response that we do without thinking about it. Another consideration is that your dry eyes may be because of another medication you’re taking.
People who use antihistamines, decongestants, or hypertension medications or ones for birth control may have keratoconjunctivitis sicca, which is the clinical name for chronic dry eyes. It can be quite the torment for some people so fortunately they can get relief from this mediation. Knowing what is Restasis is a good place to start, but let’s take the rest of this entry to talk about dry eye disease more generally and what else you can do to minimize it.
Everyone ages and as the expression goes time waits for no man – or woman. But only women go through menopause and the hormonal changes that woman experience during this time can be a part of why dry eye disease may first be seen in the early 50s. But that can be true for men or women and generally you’re more at risk of dry eye disease if you’re at middle age or older. Nothing to do with what is Restasis but a lot of people in that age bracket don’t have the vision they used to and may prefer contact lenses.
Wearing contact lenses over many years or having refractive eye surgery can also be among causes of dry eye disease, and this type of factor may also worsen the condition if you were already likely to develop dry eyes in the first place. You have your chances of it go up if you don’t get enough dietary Vitamin A, but people who eat a balanced and healthy diet likely won’t have to worry about that. Living in a very dry and arid climate over many years can also make chronic dry eyes a stronger possibility.
What is Restasis used for? It’s used to increase tear production so that the eye’s aqueous layer of its tear film has what it needs to keep the eyeball lubricated.