Every time you blink, your healthy eyes get a bath from a fluid that’s a combination of oil, water, and mucus. This fluid, or tears, helps protect and moisturize the eyes. When something irritates your eyes or interferes with the production of tears, it can result in irritated dry eyes that are vulnerable to corneal abrasions.
Dry eyes are actually very common. According to Prevent Blindness, nearly 16 million Americans suffer from this annoying and sometimes painful condition. If you think you have dry eyes, check out some of these common symptoms and possible causes. Once you drythe culprit, you can begin to make changes to relieve your dry eyes, once and for all.
Symptoms of Dry Eyes:
- Dry, itchy, or burning eyes
- A scratching sensation, or feeling like there’s grit in the eyes
- Sensitivity to light causing squinting and blinking
- Difficulty focusing because of dryness
- Both eyes are usually affected
- Watery eyes (a little-known fact!)
How to Treat Dry Eyes:
- Avoid drafts and use a humidifier to put moisture back into dry air.
- If allergies are causing your eyes to itch and dry out, try lubricating, preservative-free eye drops formulated for people with allergies.
- Check the side effects of your medications. If you’re taking one that causes dry eyes, your doctor may need to change your prescription, or she may recommend that you begin using eye drops to lubricate your eyes.
- Don’t wear your contacts for too long, keep them clean, and always wash your hands before handling them.
- Take frequent breaks from computer work or reading, and keep your eyes lubricated by remembering to blink often.
- Turn off ceiling fans when possible.
- Lay a warm, damp washcloth across your eyelids for a couple minutes.
- Ask your doctor about punctal plugs which block tears from draining from the eye.
Helpful Tips:
- For a refreshing sensation, cool your eye drops in the refrigerator about an hour before using them.
- Check expiration dates on your eye drops.
- Never share eye drops.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Wear sunglasses outside to protect your eyes from wind and sun.
With a few simple changes you could begin to notice a real improvement. If after one month your eyes are still bothering you, make sure to see your eye doctor—severe cases can lead to eye damage and vision loss. During your eye exam, your doctor can check for vision problems and signs of health conditions that could be causing your dry eyes. An accurate diagnosis is important because symptoms of dry eye can be caused by other things like allergies or uncorrected refractive error or astigmatism.
Children’s vision can change rapidly. It is important to maintain and schedule regular eye exams for kids, so they are performing at their best, both in the classroom and on the playground. #backtoschool #eyehealth #childeyehealth #kidglasses
Keeping an eye on your eye health is essential! Here are some general symptoms to be mindful of:
Summer is the perfect time to sit back, relax, and soak in the rays. So, before you find the coolest getaway, make sure your prescription is up to date, you have a backup pair of glasses, and have eye drops on hand. Most importantly, don’t leave home without them. Give us a call and we can help you prepare for your next vacation. #eyehealth #traveltips #summerplans
