Do you reach for the eye drops whenever your eyes feel itchy and dry? Have you noticed that your eye drops aren’t providing as much relief as they should?
There are many reasons why you suffer from dry eyes and why your eye drops don’t help relieve them.
Keep reading to learn why your eyes may be dry and some options besides drops to help relieve them.
Symptoms and Causes
Typically your eyes are dry because you aren’t producing enough tears or your tears are low-quality. When your eyes are dry and itchy, it’s hard to resist the temptation to rub them.
But this will aggravate them and is very bad for your eyes. You rub them, and they become swollen, red, and even itchier.
Perhaps you have also experienced some of these symptoms in your eyes:
- Burning
- Stinging
- Blurred vision
- Heavy eyelids
- A feeling of having something in your eye that you can’t remove
- Excess tearing
- Redness
- Eye discharge
These symptoms are common complaints in sufferers of dry eye syndrome.
And many factors could be causing your dry eyes, like:
- Seasonal allergies
- Dry air inside and outside
- Staring at your computer screen for long periods
- Side effects from medications
- Natural aging process
- Autoimmune disorders like Rheumatoid Arthritis or Sjogren’s Syndrome, for example.
Is It Something More Serious?
Your dry eyes could be due to a more severe condition that could require professional treatment. If eye drops are no longer providing relief, then you should schedule an eye exam.
Your eye doctor will determine why you are suffering from dry eyes. They will also decide whether or not you need prescription eye drops or additional treatment.
You could have dry eye syndrome. This common eye condition can affect your tear glands and tear ducts.
It will cause your eyes not to produce enough moisture, or produce low-quality tears. Because your eyes aren’t getting enough healthy tears, they become inflamed and irritated.
Home Remedies
You do have other options besides eye drops when it comes to treating your dry eyes. There are specific lifestyle changes and remedies that you can try to ease your dry, itchy eyes.
You can help your eyes feel less dry by making the air in your home or office less dry with a humidifier. This will help to get moisture into the air, so your environment isn’t drying your eyes out.
Try taking frequent, short breaks to blink your eyes when you’re working on your computer. These blinking breaks will put less stress on your eyes and stimulate tear production.
You can also use this time to get a drink of water. Good hydration is an easy way to keep your eyes hydrated.
Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses when you’re outside for long periods. Wind, smoke, and air pollution can irritate your eyes, so avoid them whenever possible.
Schedule an appointment with Westlake Eye Specialists in Austin, TX, to see why your eye drops are not working. Don’t suffer from dry eyes any longer than you have to.
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