10 Helpful Tips for Improving Dry Eyes

Dry eyes cause unpleasant symptoms that can make your life much more difficult. Dry eyes occur when your eyes lack enough tears to lubricate the ocular surface. It makes it difficult to wear contact lenses, and your eyes remain irritated even when you do not have contacts. 

It is quite a common illness among Americans. It comes with the season; for some, it is all year-round. It can be amplified by something in the environment like wind or activity like excess screen time. 

Tips to Improve Dry Eye

1. Change Your Environment

As mentioned earlier, dry eye can become amplified by your environment. Moving air is one of the main features in a closed environment that can cause dry eyes or aggravate the symptoms. If you are in a room with air conditioning, your dry eye symptoms will worsen. You can change the room or add a humidifier.

 

2. Reduce Your Screen Time

Digital eyestrain is another cause of worsening dry eye symptoms. You can minimize or alleviate the symptoms by taking breaks while you work. It will give your eyes time to lubricate and rest.

 

3. Change Your Contacts

Some contact lenses are not built for people with dry eyes and make the symptoms worse. You can get scleral lenses, which are adequate for people with dry eyes. They trap a layer of tears under them, keeping the eyes lubricated.

 

4. Protect Your Eyes

When you go out on a windy or very sunny day, your tears may evaporate faster than they should. It may cause dry eye. You can prevent this or slow it down by wearing wraparound sunglasses to cover your eyes. 

 

5. Artificial Tears

Another effective method to relieve dry eye symptoms is artificial tears. You can get these from a pharmacy near you. They help keep the eyes lubricated if you do not have enough tears in your eyes. Many brands are available, and you may need to try a few before finding the right one. 

 

6. Prescription Medicines

Artificial tears may not be as effective if you have chronic dry eye. In such a case, the eye doctor may recommend medication that helps your body produce more tears. The meds reduce the inflammation in your tear glands that interfere with tear production.

 

7. Plug You Tear Ducts

Another medical direction to help keep your eyes lubricated is plugging your tear ducts. It helps keep the tears you produce in your eyes instead of allowing them to drain naturally. The doctor will insert tiny plugs into the ducts at the corner of your eyes. They can be taken out after some time or left long-term.

8. Change Your Diet

Another way to improve your dry eye symptoms is through diet. However, this method may only work for some people. You can eat foods rich in fatty acids that are important for producing oils by the tear glands.

9. Warm Your Eyelids

Sometimes, dry eye is caused by blocked oil glands in your eyes. A warm compress can help these oil glands clear up and lubricate your eyes. 

10. Eye Massage

Eye massage helps clear out any obstructions in the tear ducts. It will help clear out any heavy or inflamed oil blocking the ducts.

For more helpful tips for improving dry eyes, visit Vision Tech Optometry Center, Inc. Our office serves the Waynesboro, Charlottesville, and Crozet communities in Virginia. Call (540) 215-8361 to book an appointment today.