Are you constantly rubbing your eyes? Does it feel like there’s sand in them? If you answered yes, then you might have dry eye syndrome. While it may sound like a minor inconvenience, dry eye syndrome is a serious condition that can cause discomfort, eye damage, and even vision loss. In this blog post, we’ll discuss this condition, including its symptoms, causes, and how to find relief.
Symptoms of dry eye syndrome
Dry eye happens when you don’t have enough tears or when the quality of your tears is poor. Some common signs of dry eye include stinging, burning eyes, itchiness, redness, and feeling like something’s stuck in your eye. Your eyes may also tear up a lot, which is your eyes’ way of responding to being dry.
Causes of dry eye syndrome
Dry eye can happen for a variety of reasons, such as hormonal changes, aging, certain medications, medical conditions such as Sjogren’s syndrome, and environmental factors like dry air, wind, and exposure to smoke. Spending too much time looking at screens can also increase your risk of dry eye.
Treating dry eye syndrome
If you’re dealing with dry eye, there are plenty of things you can do to find relief. The first step is to talk to your eye doctor to determine the best treatment. Our eye doctors in Littleton, Colorado are experts in diagnosing and treating dry eye. We’ll start with an eye exam to figure out what’s causing your symptoms.
Depending on how severe your symptoms are, our eye doctor might suggest a variety of treatments. Some treatment options we provide include punctal plugs, warm compresses, prescription eye drops, and special contact lenses for dry eye. We also offer meibomian gland probing to help unclog blocked oil glands in the eyelids. Another option is to start taking Nordic Naturals eye health supplements, which are specially formulated to promote tear production and combat dryness.
Along with these treatments, there are also some lifestyle changes you can make to relieve dry eye symptoms. For example, try to limit your screen time, adjust the brightness of your computer or phone screen, and take breaks from screens to focus on something in the distance. These simple habits can help your eyes naturally produce more tears.
Living with dry eye can be uncomfortable and affect your quality of life. Don’t ignore gritty, dry eyes, hoping they will just go away. Schedule an appointment with our experienced eye doctors at the Eyecare Center of Ken Caryl in Littleton, Colorado.