Winter often makes dry eyes worse – we get lots of people complaining about their dry eyes at this time of year. Dry eye is a common but complicated eye problem that can show up in many different ways, including:
A feeling of dryness, of course
A stinging, gritty, burning, or itchy feeling
A feeling of something stuck in the eye, like a hair or piece of sand
Redness
Difficulty with contact lens wear
Even watery eyes are often a sign of dry eyes!
What causes dry eye? The most common culprits are:
Contact lenses
Prolonged computer use
Being female 😉
Smoking
Arthritis
Dehydration
Age
Dry environment, including air conditioning and heating
What can I do about dry eye?
First, a good eye exam can help you differentiate the many kinds of dry eye and uncover which strategy will work best for your eyes. Second, deal with the causative factor if possible – stop smoking, take breaks from the computer, turn down the AC or heating. A good strategy may include:
The frequent use of artificial tears or gels
Lubricating ointment at night
Drinking more water
Omega-3 (fish oil) supplements
Hot compresses
Lid hygiene
Punctal plugs
Medical eye drops
Myoptic carries a wonderful mask, called Tranquilleyes, that applies healing heat to your eyes easily and quickly. We also carry an excellent omega-3 supplement that outperforms many of the drugstore varieties.
Stop in and see if we can help you!
– Dr. Oliver Kuhn-Wilken
