What is Dry Eye?
Dry eye happens when your eyes don’t make enough tears to stay wet, or when your tears don’t work correctly. This can make your eyes feel uncomfortable, and in some cases it can also cause vision problems.
Dry eye is common — it affects millions every year. The good news is that if you have dry eye, there are lots of things you can do to keep your eyes healthy and stay comfortable.
What are the symptoms of dry eye?
Dry eye can cause:
A scratchy feeling, like there’s something in your eye
Stinging or burning feelings in your eye
Red eyes
Itchy eyes
Sore eyes
Blood shot eyes
excessive or no tear production
Sensitivity to light
Blurry vision
Am I at risk for dry eye?
Anyone can get dry eye, it can be impacted by environmental and lifestyle factors or even hereditary. You may be more likely to have dry eye if you:
are age 50 or over
are female (due to hormone changes & use of make-up/skin products)
wear contact lenses
look at computer screens for long amounts of time
you spend time in air conditioned environments (including cars)
it's windy, cold, dry or dusty
don't get enough vitamin A or omega-3 fatty acids
have certain autoimmune conditions, like blepharitis, lupus or Sjögren syndrome
How to treat dry eye?
The first thing you should do is visit your optician, they can perform any diagnostic tests to reveal the true cause of your dry eye and how best to treat it. The easy, at home, remedies for your dry eyes will most likely be:
Eye Drops to hydrate your eyes
Supplements to increase your intake of essential fatty acids that repair your eyes
Keeping your eyes clean with cleansers
Heat therapy with eye compresses
Massage if you have meibomian gland dysfunction
Reference: National Eye Institute
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