Are your eyes itchy, scratchy, watery, sticky, sore, red, burning, blurry or just downright grumpy with you? You could be suffering from Dry Eye.
Winter brings its own set of challenges for eye health, with colder temperatures and drier air exacerbating symptoms of Dry Eye.
What is Dry Eye
Dry eye occurs when the eyes don't produce enough tears or the right quality of tears to keep them properly lubricated, leading to discomfort and irritation.
Tears aren’t just for crying. Your eyes constantly produce tears to help lubricate and protect themselves. Each time you blink, the tears are dispersed across the eye, coating it. For people who suffer from dry eye syndrome, the eyes just do not produce enough tears constantly to do the job, or those tears evaporate too quickly.
Spending long hours on a phone or computer significantly reduces your blink rate, causing your protective tear film to evaporate more quickly. This thin layer needs to spread evenly across the eye for clear, comfortable vision—without enough moisture, that becomes impossible.
Tears aren’t just water; they’re a delicate mix of oil, mucus, and fluid. Like a recipe, if the balance is off, the result doesn’t work. Poor tear quality disrupts the smooth tear film, leading to blurry vision, dryness, irritation, and a burning sensation—even if your eyes technically focus well.
Dry Eye Symptoms
- Blurry, fluctuating vision
- Feeling the need to blink more often
- Dryness
- Gritty, irritated sensation
- Stinging or achiness
- Overly-watery eyes
- Eye and eyelid redness
- Sensitivity to light
Symptoms can be different for everyone, and fluctuate due to environmental factors; such as wind, air conditioning, artificial lighting, using your computer or smartphone, air pollution, driving, wearing contact lenses etc.
What can I do to alleviate symptoms?
To combat dry eye during the winter months, it's essential to take proactive steps to keep the eyes moist and comfortable. Using a humidifier indoors can help add moisture to the air, alleviating dryness. Additionally, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water and incorporating omega-3 fatty acids into your diet can promote tear production.
Get expert solutions
The best course of action will of course be to pop into OCULA and discuss your symptoms with our optometrists to see if there is an underlying cause, and what your individual treatment plan should include. Treatments prescribed will vary from eye drops, and dietary changes (omega-3 oils help reduce Dry Eye symptoms, due to their anti-inflammatory properties), to warm eye compresses and E-Eye IPL (Intense Pulse Light) therapy.
Don't let dry eye dampen your spirits – book an eye test with us today and experience the difference at OCULA.
