28 Mar Dry Eye – Symptoms, Prevention and Solutions

DRY EYE and SEASONAL EYE HEALTH TIPS

Dry eye is something that particularly at this time of year a lot of us suffer from as we leave behind the Winter months where we have been subjected to lots of cold winds and constant central heating , these factors all play their part in aggravating this condition. Your eyes may feel very sore and itchy and you may find when you are outside that your eyes constantly water. Other symptoms of dry eye can be a sandy, gritty feeling that can get worse as the day goes on, as well as dryness and a burning sensation. Your eyes may also begin to feel very tired and your vision can seem blurry, but clears when you blink.

There are several ways in which you can help to keep your eyes healthy and avoid dry eye.

• Try and avoid direct heating in your face.
• Protect your eyes in very cold winds.
• Keep your sunglasses on hand to protect you against the still low lying spring sun.
• Be careful if you get flu or a cold as they can cause your eyes to become irritated and sore.
• If you are suffering from a cold, you can avoid cross contamination by washing your hands before touching your eyes.
• When your central heating is on consider using an humidifier to combat the dry atmosphere.
• Use lubricating drops or gel as recommended by us to help alleviate any dry eye symptoms.
• If you suffer from hay fever or an allergy keep an eye on the pollen count before leaving home.
• Pollen allergy can also be helped by wearing wrap around sunglasses when outside.
• If your eyes swell then you can always keep a used  tea bag in the fridge overnight and can use this as a cold compress to reduce swelling.
• Be prepared with antihistamines if you are an allergy sufferer particularly helpful if taken prior to the onset of any symptoms.

Although winter this year has felt especially long Spring is just literally round the corner  with lighter nights to look forward to and warmer days. By using any of the tips above, you can help your eyes to be in the best condition that they can for all weathers.