Top Tips for Treating Dry Eyes
Wednesday, March 15th, 2017, 12:57 am
One of the most frequent complaints eye doctors hear from patients is dry eyes, a condition that is generally caused when your tears are not the correct consistency and quickly evaporate. The result is eye pain and redness, blurred vision, eye fatigue, or the feeling that something is in your eye. The good news is that dry eye syndrome can be managed effectively in most cases. Here are some quick tips for dealing with dry eye:
- Drink more water. If your eyes are dry, it could be a sign that you’re dehydrated. Drink plenty of water to help keep the mucous membranes that surround your eyes moist. Staying hydrated is especially important if you live in a windy or dry climate.
- Apply a warm compress. Trying putting a warm compress on your sore eyes to help release oil from the glands in your eyelids and improve tear quality. Gently pace a warm washcloth over your eyes for about 10 minutes, then rewet with warm water and repeat.
- Wear shades. This is especially important if you live in a dry, hot climate, as sunglasses can significantly reduce the chance of getting dry eyes. Look for a pair that blocks at least 99% of the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.
- Don’t forget to blink. Sounds simple enough, right. But most of us aren’t blinking as much as we think we are. Prolonged exposure to computer screens could be one of the reasons why. Take a moment periodically throughout the day to close your eyes for two seconds, open them, and then close them again for another two seconds, squeezing them tightly together before opening them again.
- Think omega-3’s. Fatty acids are a crucial part of your diet if you have dry eyes. Incorporating cold water fish like mackerel, tuna and salmon can go a long way to improving your eye health.
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Category: Dry Eyes
