Eczema Causes

There is no single cause of eczema. It probably has a mixture of inherited and environmental causes that act together at different times. You may be born with an increased likelihood of developing eczema, which you inherit from your parents.

When you are exposed to environmental factors, such as dust or pollen, this causes eczema to appear. There are several triggers that can make your symptoms worse.

Genetics

Research suggests that atopic eczema is largely an inherited condition. This means that the cause lies in the genes that you inherit from your parents.

If a child's parents have atopic eczema, it is highly likely that the child will also develop the condition. Studies have shown that 60% of children who have a parent with atopic eczema will also have eczema. If both parents have atopic eczema, there is an 80% chance that a child will also have the condition. It is not yet known exactly which genes are responsible for eczema.

Environment

If your genes make you more likely to develop atopic eczema, the condition will develop after you are exposed to certain environmental factors, such as allergens.

Allergens are substances that can cause the body to react abnormally. This is known as an allergic reaction. Some of the most common allergens that can cause atopic eczema include house dust mites, pet fur, pollen grains etc. It can sometimes be caused by food allergens, especially before the age of one. Foods that typically cause allergic reactions include cows' milk, eggs, nuts, soya, wheat etc. Some studies of children and young people with atopic eczema found that one-third to nearly two-thirds also had a food allergy. Having a food allergy increases the likelihood of your atopic eczema being severe. Allergies do not always play a role. There are many other things likely to bring out eczema, including cold weather, dampness, harsh soaps, washing too much, rough clothing etc

Triggers can make atopic eczema worse, although they do not necessarily cause the condition. Some triggers are given as under:

Hormonal changes in women

Hormones are powerful chemicals that are produced by the body and have a wide range of effects. Changes in the levels of certain hormones can affect the symptoms of atopic eczema in some women. Many women's eczema is worse at certain times during their menstrual cycle. Some women have a flare-up of their eczema in the days before their period.

Stress

While stress is known to be associated with atopic eczema, it is not fully understood how it affects the condition. Some people with eczema have worse symptoms when they are stressed. For other people, their symptoms cause them to feel stressed.

Exercise

After vigorous exercise, sweating may make eczema symptoms worse. Try to keep cool while exercising by drinking plenty of fluids and taking regular breaks. Irritants can make your symptoms worse. What irritates you may be different to what irritates someone else with the condition, but could include soaps and detergents, such as shampoo, washing-up liquid or bubble bath, some types of clothing, especially wool and nylon, overheating, very cold, dry weather, dust, unfamiliar pets. Other possible triggers include substances that touch your skin, such as perfume-based products or latex, environmental factors, such as tobacco smoke, living near a busy road or having water that contains lots of minerals (hard water), the changing seasons – most people with atopic eczema find that their symptoms improve during the summer and get worse in the winter.

Eczema Overview

Eczema is a condition that causes the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked. It is a chronic condition. Atopic eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is the most common form of eczema. It mainly affects children, but can continue into adulthood. It can vary in severity and most people are only mildly affected. Severe symptoms include cracked, sore and bleeding skin. It commonly occurs in areas with folds of skin, such as:

• 1) behind the knees
• 2) the inside of the elbows
• 3) on the side of the neck
• 4) around the eyes and ears

People with atopic eczema usually have periods when symptoms are less noticeable, as well as flare-ups when symptoms become more severe, needing additional treatment.

The exact cause of atopic eczema is unknown. However, it often occurs in people who get allergies ("atopic" means sensitivity to allergens).It can run in families and often occurs alongside other conditions, such as asthma and hay fever.

Atopic eczema clears up or significantly improves in many children as they get older. In about 53% of cases, atopic eczema clears up by the time a child reaches 11 years of age, and in 65% of cases it clears up by 16 years of age.

However, severe eczema often has a significant impact on daily life and may be difficult to cope with physically and mentally. There is also an increased risk of infections.

Many different types of treatment can be used to control symptoms and manage eczema, including medication and self-help techniques. The main treatments are:

• 1) emollients (moisturizing treatments) – used all the time for dry skin
• 2) topical corticosteroids – used to reduce swelling and redness during flare-ups

The number of people diagnosed with atopic eczema has increased in recent years. This could be because of changes in lifestyle or environmental factors that cause eczema.

Amblyopia

Amblyopia is a functional reduction in the visual acuity of an eye caused by disuse or misuse during the critical period of visual development. The mechanism of vision loss is not known, but it is thought to originate in the central nervous system. Disuse or misuse typically occurs because of strabismus, unequal refractive errors, or deprivation (e.g., caused by cataract, eyelid hemangioma, etc)

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms for amblyopia vary from person-to-person. Some people might be asymptomatic while others are symptomatic. Symptoms may be caused by other, less serious health conditions such as:

• 1) A droopy (the inability to fully-open) eyelid that blocks the pupil
• 2) Headaches
• 3) Blurry vision
• 4) Excessive squinting or closing of the eyes
• 5) Repeatedly closing of one eye in bright sunlight
• 6) A misalignment (crossing) of one eye, generally the eye that is less used will excessively turn toward the nose

The physical examination should include the following: Assessment of visual acuity:

• 1) Testing for crowding phenomenon
• 2) Assessment of binocular function
• 3) Detection of eccentric fixation
• 4) Cycloplegic refraction
• 5) Evaluation of contrast sensitivity
• 6) Neutral density filter testing

Important causes of Amblyopia are as under:

• 1) Anisometropia
• 2) Visual deprivation
• 3) Organic lesions
• 4) Strabismus
• 5) Strabismic anisometropia

Diagnosis

Imaging studies such as CT, MRI, Fluorescein angiography may be helpful when the ocular examination is normal and suspicion of an organic cause exists.

ManagementFirst, rule out an organic cause, and treat any obstacle to vision. Next, treat anisometropia and refractive errors. Then, initiate occlusion therapy (to force the use of the amblyopic eye).

Occlusion therapy

Patching may be full-time or part-time. Always consider lack of compliance in a child when visual acuity is not improving. In addition to adhesive patches, consider the use of opaque contact lenses, occluders mounted on spectacles, and adhesive tape on glasses. Establishing whether the vision of the better eye has been degraded sufficiently with the chosen therapy

Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a type of refractive error of the eye. Refractive errors cause blurred vision. It occurs when the cornea or lens is not a absolutely curved shape. It is usually the result of an irregular-shaped cornea. The cornea is the transparent layer of tissue at the front of the eye. The cornea should be shaped like a football, but in cases of astigmatism it has an irregular curve. This means that light rays entering the eye are not focused appropriately, creating a blurred image.

Factors causing Astigmatism:

• 1) Injuries to the cornea
• 2) Changes to the cornea caused by an eye surgery
• 3) Keratoconus and keratoglobus – eye conditions that cause the cornea to change shape
• 4) Some conditions that affect the eyelids

If left untreated, astigmatism can also cause:

• 1) Eye strain
• 2) Headaches
• 3) Fatigue

In many cases, the symptoms of astigmatism are so mild that no treatment is needed to correct your vision. In cases where your vision is significantly affected by astigmatism, glasses or contact lenses can be used to correct it. Laser treatment can be used to permanently correct astigmatism in adults.