The rapid worldwide increase in dry eye disease, according to researcher and radio talk show host Sharon Kleyne, is largely attributable to environmental causes such as global climate change (resulting in an increase in weather extremes), air pollution and eye suffocation from polluted humidity. Mrs. Kleyne's Bio-Logic Aqua Research Center has been studying dry eye, water and clean humidity for decades.
Dry Eye is one of the most common reasons for visiting an Ophthalmologist, according to the Eye Surgery Education Council. Their statistics indicate that 25 million Americans suffer from chronic dry eye disease and the number is growing.
The primary increase is in evaporative or environmental dry eye (as opposed, for example, to diseases of the tear glands). According to the Dry Eye Zone; aging, contact lenses, computer use, outdoor and indoor conditions, low humidity levels, wind, and the presence of irritants can contribute to dry eye symptoms. Specific environmental triggers for dry eye include:
Sharon Kleyne has been studying the relationship between humidity and dry eye, and concludes that (1) clean humidity can be important in preventing evaporative dry eye, and (2) in much of the world, the air's life-sustaining humidity is becoming alarmingly contaminated. Mrs. Kleyne predicts that research will eventually show that "polluted humidity" differs little from extremely dry air with low or no humidity when it comes into contact with the skin, eyes, mouth, nasal passages and lungs.
In addition to conducting her own research, Mrs. Kleyne has interviewed leading dry eye experts on her syndicated radio show. Included are Rebecca Petris of Dry Eye Zone; Robert Latkany, MD, author of The Dry Eye Remedy; Lasik pioneer Marguerite McDonald, MD; Ilene Gipson, PhD, Harvard researcher on women and dry eye; Laurie Barber, MD, dry eye and menopause researcher; Beth Cahill of the Women's Health Resource Center; Ula Jurkunas, MD, Harvard researcher on corneal stem cells; and Philip Paden, MD, dry eye consultant to Bio-Logic Aqua Research
Mrs. Kleyne and the above individuals concur that in much of the world, the air's humidity is becoming alarmingly contaminated and that lack of clean humidity is a major cause of the rapid increase in dry eye disease. The first lines of defense against environmental or evaporative dry eye, according to Sharon Kleyne, should be to drink more water, improve eye nutrition (green, leafy vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids) and protect eyes and skin from solar radiation and indoor and outdoor dry air.
Sharon Kleyne advocates the widespread distribution and use of personal hand-held humidifying devices that provide an instant all-natural, all-water mist of clean humidity. The mist creates a humid envelope around the face, eyes and breathing passages that supplements the air's natural moisture. Mrs. Kleyne's hand-held humidifying device for dry eyes, Nature's Tears® EyeMist®, has been used by millions worldwide.
Mrs. Kleyne predicts that products like Nature's Tears® EyeMist® will one day become an indispensable personal amenity - much like lip balm, sunscreen, protective clothing, bottled water and toothbrushes.
Nature's Tears® EyeMist®, an all-natural personal, portable hand-held humidifying device for dry eyes and eye irritation, is bottled by Sharon Kleyne's company, Bio-Logic Aqua Research. Nature's Tears® EyeMist® is a sponsor of the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water and is available on www.Amazon.com under "Computer Accessories" and "Health and Beauty."
The Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water is heard live on Mondays, 10 a.m., PST/PDT, on Voice America, World Talk Radio, Green Talk Network and Apple iTunes. Go to www.SharonKleyneHour.com for written summaries and on-demand replays of past shows. Also visit www.naturestears.com, whatistheeye.wordpress.com, "Nature's Tears EyeMist" on Facebook and "Bio-Logic Aqua" on Twitter.
© 2012 Bio-Logic Aqua Research