Springtime brings a sense of renewal to most, but for others, it means allergies. The sudden influx of pollen can cause terrible cases of sneezing, sore throats, and dry eyes.
Screen use, aging, medication, and more significant medical issues can all cause dry eyes. But allergies are often the main trigger of the condition.
Keep reading to learn how you can manage your dry eyes. That way, you can enjoy your spring without the itching, burning, or swelling of dry, irritated eyes.
Only an Eye Doctor Can Determine the True Cause of Your Dry Eyes
A comprehensive eye exam can reveal the true nature of your dry eye problems. Dry eye typically comes from low tear production or tears that lack a particular ingredient.
Sometimes it is a combination of both. Knowing what is causing your dry eye is very important when deciding how to treat them.
If your dry eye is due to a lack of tears, your doctor may prescribe inserts that dissolve and release moisture over time. Or, they may prescribe drugs that stimulate tear production.
One effective solution is to block the tear ducts in your eyes with punctal plugs. Blocking your tear ducts prevents tears from draining out of your eyes too quickly. That way, they have a better chance of hydrating your eyes.
Healthy Tears Help You Maintain Healthy Eyes
There are three components to tears: water, mucus, and oil. The water is what hydrates your eyes.
The mucus is present to spread the water evenly across the surface of the eye. But, when you are producing low-quality tears, it is typically due to a lack of oil.
Oil is necessary to prevent tear evaporation. Eye oil comes in the form of lipids secreted through glands in your eyelids.
These glands can become blocked with a waxy substance, which stops oil from mixing into your tears. You can unblock this waxy substance with gland expression therapy.
Gland expression therapy uses warm compresses and a machine that applies gentle pressure to your eyelids to open the glands. The warm compresses melt the wax, and the machine gently pulses your eyelids to break up the wax and remove it.
What You Can Do on Your Own
Not all cases of dry eyes need eye doctor intervention. Whether an eye doctor is treating your eyes or not, there are home care methods that can relieve dry eyes.
The easiest way to keep your eyes hydrated is by keeping your body hydrated. Tear production is among the first things to take a hit if your body does not have enough water.
Make sure you keep your home clean. Allergens and airborne irritants like dust, pet dander, and pollen cause continuous irritation.
Dust your home using a damp cloth instead of a duster. Doing this prevents the allergens from becoming airborne.
Using eye drops is a simple method to soothe your eyes and keep them hydrated. If you need some instant relief from your dry eyes, use these artificial tears.
Rubbing your eyes may feel good at the moment. But, it is ineffective at stimulating tear production, and it can cause damage to your eyes. Avoid rubbing your eyes at all costs!
Spring allergies plus chronically dry eyes create miserable eye irritation. Control your dry eyes this season so you can enjoy spring and summer!
Schedule an appointment at Stahl Eyecare Experts in Hauppauge, NY. We will help you determine the cause of your dry eyes and help you manage them this allergy season.
