Do you have dry eyes?
Dry eyes can make you feel miserable. Artificial tears, doctor visits, and humidifiers are not always the most practical way to deal with these debilitating symptoms. For those who have tried everything and still have not found relief, there are nine common ways that a person can worsen their dry eye symptoms every day and not realize that they are actually exacerbating their own painful symptoms.
What you are doing that is making your dry eyes worse
Looking Up
Staring at a computer screen for hours on end is bad, not only on the back but on the eyes too. When placed too high, the eyes have to open wider to view the screen allowing evaporation of the tear film. By placing the screen lower to allow the eyes to look downward, the aggravating symptoms and tear film evaporation can be lessened or eliminated altogether.
A helpful tip is to look 30 feet away for 30 seconds every 30 minutes.
Sleeping with Eyes Slightly Open
Lagophthalmos is a common condition that causes the eyelids to open slightly during sleep. Even a slight opening of the eyes during sleep exposes the eye surface to atmospheric conditions. This can lead to dry eye symptoms.
There are several ways to deal with lagophthalmos: use a mask at night to cover the eyes, tape the eyes shut before sleep, or even surgery to correct the problem. This is also called “Night Time Dry Eyes”.
Using Too Many Artificial Tears
Constantly using eye drops can bring a temporary soothing to dry eyes, but overuse of artificial tears can lead to a decreased production in the natural tears of the eyes. Artificial tears do not contain the necessary oils and other lubricating parts detected in natural tears. Therefore, cutting down on the use of eye drops can actually help dry eye symptoms.
Also, if a person has to use artificial tears, check the expiration date on the bottle.
Eating the Wrong Foods
Everyone knows the phrase “you are what you eat,” but how does this affect dry eye symptoms? A balanced diet provides the body with the proper nutrients needed for the eyes to produce the necessary tear film to protect the eyes. Healthy fats are vital in maintaining a healthy tear film. Eating foods rich in omega-3’s such as mackerel and tuna can help dry eye symptoms.
Contact Lenses
Soft contact lenses are made from hydrophilic plastic that actually contains water. If a soft contact lens contains a high amount of water, it is more prone to dehydration. If a contact lens loses water, it actually replaces this loss with moisture from the eye surface. Switching to hard contact lenses or glasses can help alleviate dry eye symptoms.
Using Harsh Soaps or Cleansers
Removing any makeup from the eyes and washing the face before bed is important. Using the correct cleansers and makeup removers are equally important. Mascara is often stubborn to remove and can lead to infections in the eyes.
Using a quality makeup remover before going to sleep and using facial cleansers that don’t contain harsh chemicals can help lessen dry eye symptoms.
Overuse of Air Conditioning
With summer in full gear, homes and vehicles can become unbearably warm. Many people tend to blast the AC in order to stay cool. However, excessive air movement can dry out eyes whether in the car or at home.
Ceiling fans are especially problematic for dry eye sufferers. When in the car, turn the AC vents away from the face to prevent over drying of the eyes.
Not Drinking Enough Water
The body is % water. If a person is thirsty, this means that they are already dehydrated.
A good rule of thumb is to divide the body weight in half, take that number and drink that many ounces of water every day. Since tap water can contain particulates, drink spring water or invest in a quality water filter.
Smoking
Almost everyone, from young children to adults, knows the harmful effects of cigarette smoke on the heart and lungs. However, cigarette, cigar, or other types of smoke can cause dry eye symptoms to worsen very quickly.
Second-hand smoke is just as bad for eyes and should be avoided, if possible.
Now, since you already have dry eyes and drops don’t work. Look to TheraLife Eye capsules to restore and revive your own tears for dry eye relief. Call us toll-free 1-877-917-1989 US/Canada, International (650) 949-6080.
Tips to relief dry eyes now. Learn from TheraLIfe
References
- Salmon JF. Dry eye. In: Kanski’s Clinical Ophthalmology: A Systematic Approach. 9th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 4, 2020.
- Yanoff M, et al., eds. Dry eye disease. In: Ophthalmology. 5th ed. Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Aug. 4, 2020.
- Dry eye. National Eye Institute. https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/dry-eye. Accessed Aug. 4, 2020.
- Dry eye syndrome — Preferred Practice Pattern. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 2018; doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.10.023.
- Dry eye. American Optometric Association. https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/dry-eye. Accessed Aug. 4, 2020.
- Dhaliwal DK, et al. Acupuncture and dry eye: Current perspectives. A double-blinded randomized controlled trial and review of the literature. Clinical Ophthalmology. 2019; doi:10.2147/OPTH.S175321.
- Martin E, et al. Effect of tear supplements on signs, symptoms and inflammatory markers in dry eye. Cytokine. 2018; doi:10.1016/j.cyto.2018.02.009.
- Softing Hataye AL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Aug. 26, 2020.
- American Academy of Ophthalmology. What is Dry Eye? (https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-dry-eye) Accessed 8/7/2019.
- National Eye Institute. Facts about Dry Eye. (https://nei.nih.gov/health/dryeye/dryeye) Accessed 8/7/2019.
- American Optometric Association. Dry Eye. (https://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/dry-eye) Accessed 8/7/2019.
Myself is a patient of dry eyes. Since 10 years using refresh tears and tears plus as remedy twice a day. But sometimes it feels like picking sensation in eyes. Is this medicine hamper bone decay? Pls advice.