Dry Eyes-Cause and Prevention

Dry eyes Dry eyes are an irritant that can make you much less comfortable. Your eyes may just be having a bad day, something in your surroundings may be causing the problem, or you may have chronic issues with your eyes. What you should do about them depends on the cause of the problem.
service-05.jpg
Symptoms can include,
  • A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation
  • Stringy mucus in or around your eyes
  • Light sensitivity
  • Red eyes
  • Feeling like there’s something in your eyes
  • Difficulty wearing contact lenses or driving in low or no light
  • Watery eyes
  • Blurred vision
  • Eye fatigue
Dry eyes are caused by a lack of adequate tears. They are a mixture of water, fatty oils, and mucus. Tears make the surface of your eyes smooth and clear. They also help prevent eye infections. Dry eyes may be due to the fact there may be fewer tears produced, they may evaporate quickly or there’s an imbalance in their makeup. Tear production may drop due to,
  • Aging
  • Medical conditions, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, Sjogren's syndrome, thyroid disorders and vitamin A deficiency
  • Medications, including antihistamines, decongestants, hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, and drugs for high blood pressure, acne, birth control, and Parkinson's disease
  • Laser eye surgery, though dry eyes should be temporary
  • Harm to tear glands by inflammation or radiation
Tears may evaporate quickly because of eyelid problems, you blink less often or due to wind, smoke or dry air. Their composition may be out of balance because the small glands on the edge of your eyelids producing the oil film for your tears are clogged. Many factors may contribute to your eyes feeling dry, including,
  • You’re older than 50
  • Women are more likely to have them, especially if they have hormonal changes because of pregnancy, use of birth control pills or menopause.
  • Your diet is low in vitamin A (found in liver, carrots, and broccoli) or in omega-3 fatty acids (in fish, walnuts and vegetable oils)
  • You use contact lenses
Dry eyes can cause more than temporary irritations, including eye infections and damage to the surface of your eyes. Dry eyes can cause eye inflammation, abrasion of the eye’s surface, corneal ulcer, and vision problems. You can prevent or limit dry eyes are,
  • Avoid air blowing into your eyes
  • Add moisture to the air, such as with a humidifier
  • Wear wraparound sunglasses or other protective eyewear
  • Take breaks during long periods of visual concentration or if the air is very dry by closing your eyes momentarily or by blinking repeatedly
  • If your computer screen is below eye level your eyes need not be as wide, which should slow tear evaporation
  • Stop smoking and avoid smoke
  • Use artificial tears regularly
If you have questions about dry eyes or feel they’ve become a problem, contact us at 610-437-4988 or fill out our contact form so we can start the conversation and work together to protect your sight and comfort. Houman Ahdieh, MD Lehigh Valley Center for Sight https://www.lvcenter4sight.com eyedoc@lvcenter4sight.com

https://www.lvcenter4sight.com/dry-eyes-cause-and-prevention/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I Spy a Stye in Your Eye

Image
Written by Dr. David Evans Last modified on August 6, 2018 What’s that small, red, pimple-like bump on your eyelid that’s causing so much discomfort? It’s probably a stye (sometimes referred to as a sty or hordeolum). Besides being difficult to say 5 times quickly, an eye stye is a type of localized infection that can occur along the base of your eyelashes or underneath your eyelid. Styes that form along the base of the eyelashes are called external styes. They typically occur as a result of an infected eyelash hair follicle and look like the type of pimple that occurs when your pores are clogged with dirt and oil. Styes that form inside the eyelid are called internal styes. Similar to external styes, they are caused by an infection of an oil-producing gland behind the eyelid rather than an eyelash hair follicle. Internal styes result in generalized swelling of the eyelid rather than forming a pimple-like bump. Stye Symptoms As a stye develops, you might begin to experience pain
Read more

Post-LASIK Refraction and Pregnancy – Much Ado About Nothing?

Image
Written by Dr. David Evans Last modified on August 23, 2018 During pregnancy, women experience a drastic shift in their hormonal balance that has a ripple effect throughout the body. The spike in hormones like progesterone, estrogen, prolactin, oxytocin and relaxin are all important for a healthy pregnancy, but these increased levels can also impact gastrointestinal processes, blood pressure, skin pigmentation and, you guessed it, ocular health. Due to refractive changes that often occur during pregnancy, most refractive surgeons advise against LASIK during pregnancy, instead suggesting women wait several months after giving birth before considering treatment. Women who have already undergone LASIK may then wonder if the changes in ocular health that can occur during and after pregnancy impact post-LASIK refraction. New research presented by John Kanellopoulos, MD, New York University Medical School, NY, and LaserVision.gr seems to throw cold water on any such concern. The Eyes an
Read more

Overuse of Contact Lenses

Image
How do make sure you aren’t overusing your lenses? Most people who have prescription eye glasses prefer wearing contact lenses. It’s not only comfortable but it also doesn’t alter your natural look. Though contact lenses are convenient they shouldn’t be used extensively. Overuse of contact lenses can cause serious damages to your eye. If you are not following the 18 hour week rule, then you could be overusing your contact lenses. In other words you must take out your contact lenses for at least 18 hours a week. Here are some symptoms which are indications that you are using you have your lenses on longer than you should, and you need to consult your eye doctor immediately: Pain and redness in the eye Itching when you remove your lenses Increased mucous secretion in the eye Decreased vision Photophobia or light sensitivity Tearing Inability to remove your lenses because they are stuck in the eye   Your eye needs direct oxygen to ‘breathe’ and remain healthy.
Read more