Treatment Tips for Dry Eyes
If you have dry eyes, making a few practical alterations to your daily routine can help your eyes remain irritation free. These tips can aid in the success of your dry eye treatment.
1.)Blink! It may sound simple, but many people who regularly perform eye-straining tasks such as driving, reading or computer use get so absorbed in the activity at hand that the forget to rest their eyes. When you are on the computer for long periods of time, remember to look away from the computer for about 15 seconds every hour, letting your eyes blink freely. Periodically make a forceful blink by squeezing your eyes tightly. This will push out oil into your tear film and prevent your tears from evaporating.
2.) Use lubricating drops even before you start an activity such as reading, watching TV, computer work. Make sure to take frequent breaks and use lubricating eye drops throughout these activities. If your eyes start tearing, this is likely reflexive tearing which indicates that you have been drying out during the activity. In which case, pause, blink, and reapply drops.
3.) Adjust your TV or computer monitor to a lower height so that you are looking slightly downwards. This lowers your eyelids over your eyes and decreases tear film loss from evaporation.
4.)Stuffy indoor environments can also take a toll on the eye’s moisture level. An air filter can be used to remove dust and other airborne particles.
5.) Indoor humidity should be between 30 and 50 percent. Fill the humidifier with filtered water. “Hard” tap water can cause an airborne mineral dust that can act as an eye irritant. It is a good idea to place a humidifier where you sleep and where you work. (eg. at office desk)
6.)When you are in a car, turn the air vents away from your face and eyes. Remember to actively blink while driving. Do a forceful blink at every stop.
7.) Wear sunglasses outdoors to reduce sun, wind, and dust exposure. If your dry eye is severe you may benefit from specially designed moisture retaining goggles/glasses.
8.) If you wear eye makeup make sure it is waterproof to avoid it leaking into the eye. When applying mascara, only apply it to the tips of the upper lashes. Moisture retention around your lower lids is more important for the overall comfort of your eye. If you can, try to avoid applying makeup to the lower eyelid and lashes.
9.) Supplement your diet with foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. These foods include walnuts, cod liver oil, flax seed oil, primrose oil, and cold water fish. Flax seeds can be ground down in a coffee grinder and sprinkled over cereals or salad.
10.)Stay well hydrated throughout the day by drinking ample water throughout the day. If your urine is concentrated or dark in colour then you are likely not drinking enough water. Remember that dehydration worsens dry eye.
11.)Recent research suggests that smoking, too, can increase your risk of dry eye syndrome. So if you smoke, here is more motivation to quit!
12.) Allergies worsen dry eye as do some of the medications used to treat allergies. Minimize your exposure to allergens. Consult with your doctor before using allergy eye drops.
13.) Consider relocating to a more humid climate during the dry winter months. If your dry eyes worsen during allergy season then consider relocating to an allergy free climate during this period.
14.) Post-menopausal women are at particular risk of dry eye. Estrogen supplementation when used without progesterone can worsen dry eye. Speak to your family physician as combining estrogen with progesterone may reduce your risk of dry eye.
15.) Each lubricating eye drop is different. Find the brand that works best for you! If you require drops more than 4 times daily you should use preservative-free drops as they are gentler on the eye. Many patients like the brand Hylo as a lubricating drop. This comes in a regular drop format as well as a gel.
16.) Do NOT use eye drops that are marketed for treating red eye. Examples of these products include “Visine for red eye” and “Clear Eyes - redness relief”. These preparations have active chemicals such as Naphazoline, Tetrahydrazoline, or Oxymetazoline which can cause irritation and rebound red eye.
17.)Use a thicker lubricating eye ointment or gel at night before going to bed. If you find that you need to apply drops frequently (more than 6 times a day) then gels can be used instead of eye drops throughout the day. Gels will stay on the eye longer than standard drops.
18.)Unless specifically advised by your doctor, soft contact lenses should NOT be worn if you have dry eye. Soft contact lenses worsen dryness by increasing inflammation. Even more worrisome is the concern that they increase your chance of getting an infection.
19.) Laser eye surgery (LASIK) can worsen dry eye. Your dry eye has to be well controlled prior to considering refractive surgery such as LASIK.