Kyle Richards Health: 'RHOBH' Star Is Suffering From Chronic Dry Eye
Kyle Richards is suffering from Chronic Dry Eye.
During a recent interview, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star opened up about dealing with Chronic Dry Eye and how she's doing now that she's been treated.
“I’ve mainly started noticing [the syndrome] during my first season because I had to rely on artificial tears,” Richards told Haute Living, according to an Aug. 27 report by Wetpaint Entertainment. “I would see the commercials and think, ‘I don’t have that.’ I was becoming more and more dependent on artificial tears before I went to see my doctor and was diagnosed with Chronic Dry Eye."
According to WebMD, eyes reply on tears for moisture. Without it, they experience pain, sensitivity to light, itchiness and blurred vision. Tears are made up of water, oils, mucus and antibodies, and when any one of these things is lacking, a person may experience dry eyes, or in Richards' case, Chronic Dry Eye.
Among the causes of Chronic Dry Eye are aging, especially menopause, side effects from certain drugs, such as antihistamines and birth control, diseases including Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and collagen vascular diseases, and structural problems with the eyelids.
Currently, Richards is using Restasis to treat her Chronic Dry Eye. Restasis, WebMD reports, is the only prescription eye drop that helps the eyes increase tear production.
"I’ve been using Restasis ever since and having great results," she said. "I’m also much more comfortable.”