Dry eye
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Hydration, hydration, hydration: It’s a healthy lifestyle no-brainer—but what about eye hydration? If you’re experiencing retinal discomfort, it might be time to eye-drate.
Dry eye doesn’t discriminate; it can happen to anyone from anywhere at any time in life. Causes range from computer use and contact lenses to medication and menopause. The list goes on, so we’ll save you some time: You are likely at risk for dry eye by just breathing. All jokes aside, some masked individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic have suffered from dry eye because the air being breathed is filtered up through the top of the mask and passes over the surface of the eyeball!
With so many common causes of dry eye, you might be wondering if you have it. Take a look below to see if you’re experiencing any symptoms:
- Burning sensation
- Itchy eyes
- Aching sensation
- Heavy eyes
- Fatigued eyes
- Sore eyes
- Dryness sensation
- Red eyes
- Light sensitivity
- Blurred vision
- Feeling like something is in your eye
- Mucus in or around the eyes
- Discomfort when wearing contact lenses
- Watery eyes
Did you answer yes to any of the above criteria? It’s time to get those baby blues, greens, hazels, and browns checked by your doctor. Dry eye is a progressive condition but can be treated easily. If you want to try some at-home treatment methods first, we’ve got you covered. Here are five simple changes you can make to help reduce your dry eye symptoms:
- Intersperse your computer usage with eye breaks. A good rule of thumb is to stare off into the distance for 20 seconds at the end of each 20-minute period.
- Incorporate omega-3 fatty acids into your diet. Cold-water fish are full of these; try herring, cod, salmon, and sardines. Vegetarians can modify this and ingest flaxseed oil.
- Check your medication labels to see if dry eye is a side effect. If it is, you may want to consider talking to your prescribing physician to see if there are any medication alternatives.
- Treat yourself to a new wardrobe staple; it’s always sunglasses season when you have dry eyes! Make sure you invest in a quality pair that protect against 100% of sun.
- Scan your drugstore for over-the-counter eyedrops. They come in low and high viscosity versions so you’re prepared for every occasion.
Want to learn more about your dry eyes? Call us today at (559) 486-2000 to get started. Read more at https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/dryeye.htm.