Many Australians dream of working from home, but a Gold Coast woman’s remote work has left her with an eye disease normally associated with older people.
Madison Brinkworth, 27, is one of the growing number of young people suffering from dry eye disease.
Health professionals attribute the cause to excessive screen time, as Brinkworth, a digital marketing specialist, spends more than eight hours a day working on her laptop while working from home.
“I find it hard to walk away from a screen,” Brinkworth told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I can’t work eight hours a day on my laptop, so it’s inevitable.
‘I try to give myself breaks during the day.
‘I usually find my relaxation time is scrolling through TikTok or Instagram. So it’s really difficult to limit screen time or implement measures.”
In 2023, Ms. Brinkworth reached the point where her eyes were constantly swollen and itchy, and an optometrist diagnosed her with dry eye disease.
Madison Brinkworth, 27, is one of the growing number of young people suffering from dry eye disease.
He underwent treatment that uses bipolar radiofrequency to target the meibomian glands, the part of the eye responsible for normal fat production.
It is a non-invasive treatment for dry eyes that stimulates the glands to improve the quality of the tear film and relieve symptoms.
After treatment, she has had to follow a daily “regimen” to prevent the condition from recurring, including cleansing foam, supplements, antibacterial spray, eye drops and hot compresses.
‘The doctor said that she sees cases in which there really is no turning back. The eyes are full of pus.
Gold Coast optometrist Shaina Zheng said she has seen a 20 per cent increase in the number of dry eye patients under 30 attending her clinic in the past 12 months.
Some were as young as 11, Dr. Zheng said.
‘Parents come in with teenage children, and some even pre-teens, who have been struggling with symptoms including watery eyes, accompanied by a stinging or burning sensation.
‘When patients experience symptoms at such a young age, I always recommend a blood test to make sure there is no underlying condition, and when those tests come back clear, it’s difficult to cast screen time as the cause of the condition. .
“Unfortunately, our screen time is only increasing and parents tell me they are finding it difficult to control it.”
In 2023, Ms. Brinkworth reached the point where her eyes were constantly swollen and itchy.
Dry eye disease is a condition in which the eyes stop producing enough tears, causing discomfort, redness, and vision problems.
A recent study published in the Indian Journal of Opthamology found that children who spend more than 3 to 3.5 hours a day in front of screens have a significantly increased risk of developing the disease.
“We blink less when looking at computers, phones and tablets, and when we blink while looking at a screen, our eyes often don’t close completely, which means less lubrication over the eye,” Dr. Zheng said.
The optometrist said that the eye drops were just a band-aid to solve the problem and that the new bipolar radiofrequency technology offered in her Eyecare Plus Playa de la Sirena clinic is a long-term solution.