Dry eyesymptoms can force you to wage war with your instincts.
When something on your body itches, youre going to get the urge to scratch it.
Dry eye is a common enough condition that some specialists deal with it all the time.
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(Your eyelids have four openings known aspunctathat help drain your tears.)
Theyre also kind of complicated.
But the following factors can cause dry eye symptoms, too.
You have poor tear quality.Remember: Several things have to come together to make great tears.
If one element isnt working as well as the others, you could end up with less-than-optimal tear quality.
Blepharitis is one of the most common reasons this happens, Dr. Massaro-Giordano says.
Wind and dry air cause evaporation of the tear film, he says.
If youre a smoker, here are some tips on how toquit.
(you’ve got the option to also ask a qualified medical professional for help.)
The (incredibly bothersome) result: dry eye symptoms.
Contacts can do this in a couple of ways.
First of all, the fit of your contacts matters, Dr. Massaro-Giordano says.
Remember how your doctor examined your eyes thoroughly before prescribing contact lenses?
Then theres sleeping in your contacts.
If you think your contact lenses are contributing to your dry eye symptoms, talk to your eye doctor.
They may have you try out some different lenses to see how you handle them before committing.
Treatment ultimately depends on the cause of your dry eye.
In general, your doctor will usually recommend eye drops to start, Dr. Yuhas says.
That may be enough to quash mild to moderate dry eye.
Its important to choose one without preservatives, as they can further irritate your eyes.
Your doctor may prescribe corticosteroid eye drops for a short period of time to tamp down on inflammation.
In some cases, your doctor may recommend something called a punctal plug.
Theres only so much you’re free to do to lower your risk of developing dry eye.
You should also be sure to see your eye doctor often.
you’re free to get into a vicious cycle, Dr. Massaro-Giordano says.
Your dry eye symptoms can cause inflammation that, if left untreated, can damage your eye.
Dry eye symptoms can also predispose you to an infection.
Either outcome could lead to damaged vision if left untreated.
Its important to address this, Dr. Massaro-Giordano says.
It could impact your quality of life.
