Dry Eye Disease

Are you a woman over the age of 60?  If so your chances of developing dry eye syndrome increases.

Women are more affected by both of these than men because of pregnancy and menopause and bodily changes from each.

Your eyes do not make enough tears or the tears evaporate too quickly and this causes the dryness in your eyes.

Symptoms may be mild with excess tearing at times or slight discomfort to your eyes or increase to having gritty, irritated or scratchy eyes.

Depending on your symptoms it may be difficult to read, to drive or to use a computer making your day-to-day life hard to manage.

Meeting with an optometrist or an ophthalmologist is an important step in managing this disease.  If left untreated you could have significant damage to your eyes.

Ways to manage dry eye syndrome depends on the severity of the disease.  

If you have a mild case over-the-counter drops can provide relief.  For more significant cases you may need prescription medications.

Lifestyle changes can help too.  You should stay hydrated to help with tear production. Hydration is good for the rest of your body too. 

Adding in omega-3 fatty acids like fish into your diet and managing how much time your eyes need to focus during reading or when using a computer. 

One guideline is to look away at something for 20 seconds from 20 feet away every 20 minutes.

Private Home Health Care understands the importance of having regular eye check ups. Identifying and managing any issues with your eyes helps keep them healthy.

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