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WebMD shows you how the food on your plate and the shape of your shades can help relieve dry, scratchy eyes.
- What Causes Dry Eyes
If your eyes dry out while you sleep, you can use a thick...
- Relief Tips
This can get rid of dried oil or other gunk that’s blocking...
- Eye Drops
Eye dryness can be painful. Get tips on choosing the best...
- When to See a Doctor
Advanced dry eye can damage the front of your eye. Over...
- What Causes Dry Eyes
People also ask
How do I get rid of dry eyes fast?
Are home remedies for dry eyes safe?
How do you lubricate dry eyes?
Jun 3, 2024 · There are simple home remedies for dry eyes. From over-the-couter lubricating eye drops to warm compresses, here are 15 for you to try.
- Sarah Garone
Sep 23, 2022 · Eyes feeling dry and uncomfortable? Inadequate tear production is a common — and very treatable — eye condition. Find out what causes it and how to relieve symptoms.
Dec 2, 2021 · Dry eyes can cause a lot of discomfort, so you likely want relief fast. You may be able to moisten your eyes using home treatments, particularly castor oil eye drops. Additionally, lifestyle and dietary changes may help treat your dry eyes.
- Overview
- 1. Aging
- 2. Medication
- 3. Computer use
- 4. Laser surgery
- 5. Menopause
- 6. Vitamin A deficiency
- 7. Wind exposure
- 8. Sjögren’s syndrome
- 9. Other autoimmune conditions
If you have dry eye, you may experience redness, stinging, or a gritty sensation in your eyes.
Dry eye can be temporary or chronic. It occurs when your tear glands don’t produce enough tears or when your tears evaporate too quickly.
Untreated chronic dry eye can cause a variety of complications, ranging from double vision to infections, but relief is available.
Some people see a reduction in their symptoms with home remedies and over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription eye drops. It’s also important to understand the underlying causes so that you can prevent or manage them.
Even though anyone can have dry eye, this condition becomes more common the older you get. Dry eye tends to affect people over the age of 50 because tear production declines with age.
This type of dry eye can’t be prevented, but using artificial tears on a regular basis can provide extra lubrication to coat your eyes and relieve dryness.
Tears are composed of oil, water, and mucus. Certain medications, however, can reduce mucus production and contribute to chronic dry eye.
These include antihistamines, antidepressants, diuretics, and beta-blockers used to treat hypertension.
If you take a medication and experience eye dryness, talk to your doctor. Ask about an alternative medication or a lower dose to help reduce your dry eye.
You may also want to use artificial tears along with your medication to keep your eyes lubricated.
Some people who work on a computer experience eyestrain and tension headaches. In addition to these issues, staring at a computer often can also affect your tears and lead to dry eye.
This is because people who work at a computer monitor tend to blink less often. As a result, their tears evaporate more quickly.
If you use a computer for work, you can reduce dryness by blinking more frequently. Blinking will help lubricate your eyes. This can prevent dryness and irritation.
If you still experience dryness, use artificial tears while working at your computer. Additionally, give your eyes a break every now and then. Look away about every 20 minutes and blink repeatedly to re-wet your eyes.
Some people begin to experience dry eye after laser vision correction surgery. This procedure cuts some of the nerves in the cornea, causing the eyes to produce fewer tears.
This type of dry eye is usually temporary and resolves after a few days or weeks. Until your eyes heal, use lubricating eye drops to keep your eyes moist.
Hormones can play a role in dry eye. Some women experience dry eye symptoms during pregnancy, menopause, or while using birth control pills.
Hormones stimulate the production of tears, so an imbalance can reduce tear production.
Vitamin A promotes healthy eyes. Foods rich in vitamin A include eggs, carrots, fish, spinach, broccoli, and peppers.
A diet low in foods that contain this vitamin can lead to dry eye and other vision impairments, such as night blindness.
Cold climates and exposure to high winds can cause tears to evaporate too quickly, leading to chronic dryness.
To protect your eyes, use lubricating eye drops and wear sunglasses that wrap around your head to protect your eyes from cold and wind.
Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that causes white blood cells to attack your salivary glands and tear glands, reducing tear production.
Treatment involves OTC and prescription lubricating eye drops. Your doctor may also prescribe a steroid eye drop.
In addition to other symptoms, many autoimmune conditions like arthritis, lupus, and diabetes can also cause poor or insufficient tear production.
Diagnosing and treating the underlying condition may help improve dry eye symptoms.
Treatment for an autoimmune condition can involve an immunosuppressant drug or a corticosteroid.
Diabetes involves managing your blood sugar with healthy lifestyle habits, diet, and medication.
Sep 6, 2023 · How do you fix dry eyes ASAP? A person experiencing discomfort from dry eyes may get some immediate relief by stepping away from any screens, blinking, and using a warm compress over...
Nov 28, 2022 · Health Library / Diseases & Conditions / Dry Eye. Dry eye disease affects the layers of tears that cover your cornea. It happens when you don’t have enough tears or when your tears evaporate too quickly. Symptoms include burning, itching and a gritty feeling in your eye.
