Do your eyes ever feel drier than the Sahara desert? You might have dry eye syndrome. Dry eye happens when your eyes can’t produce enough tears. With dry eye, even if you’re producing enough tears, they may not be good quality.
When this happens, you experience symptoms like itching, pain, redness, and blurry vision. Dry eye causes vary from age, health history, and history with certain medications.
Depending on the severity of your dry eye, there are several treatment options. These treatment options can improve your tear quality, and keep tears in your eyes longer. Not sure you’re ready for medication? Keep reading to learn about 4 natural ways to improve your dry eye!
Avoid Certain Climates
Your environment plays a huge role when it comes to dry eye. Air that is too dry and low in humidity causes your tears to evaporate too quickly. When this occurs, your tears are unable to hydrate your eyes. If you’re in a dry environment, you may find that dust and other particles in the air will irritate your eyes as well.
Living in a drier climate doesn’t have to be a nightmare. You can purchase a humidifier to help bring more moisture into the air around you. You should also wear goggles or UV protected sunglasses when outside. Another way to keep your dry eye under control is to clear your house on a regular basis. You should use a wet cloth to dust, which prevents dust from getting in the air.
Rest Your Eyes Frequently
Lots of jobs require you to stare at a computer screen for hours at a time. This can cause your eyes to dry out from lack of blinking. If you don’t blink enough, your eyes stay dry. If you have difficulty remembering to blink, set a time for every 20 minutes. This will force you to get in the habit of blinking on a regular basis. Repetition is often the only way to pick up a new habit, and blinking is no exception.
Use A Warm Compress
Waxy buildup may block the oil glands in your eyelids. If there is not sufficient oil in your tears, they may be susceptible to evaporating too quickly. Using a warm compress on your eyelids before washing can help melt the wax.
A warm compress may also feel soothing on eyes that are dry and gritty. Be careful to not let the compress get into your eyes, and keep your eyes closed.
Improve Your Diet
Improving your diet can positively benefit your health, including your tear quality. To reduce inflammation, consider consuming a larger amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Foods that include this nutrient include:
- Fish like salmon, tuna, or sardines
- Walnuts
- Flaxseed
- Palm oil
Professional Treatment Options
It never hurts to try treating dry eye with natural options, but you may need a professional to see results. If your dry eye is getting in the way of your quality of life, contact Bennett & Bloom Eye Center in Louisville, KY.
Treatment options include breaking up waxy buildup using ultrasonic technology, prescription eye drops, and punctal plugs. Punctal plugs block the eyes’ drains so that the tears stay in the eyes longer.
Dry eye doesn’t have to be a lifelong struggle, change your life today by scheduling your consultation with Bennett & Bloom Eye Center!