Combat your Dry Eye Symptoms to Enjoy the Holidays

Find yourself looking forward to the holidays but dreading the eye drying effects of these colder months?  While snow and rain in and of themselves are wet, winter air is actually very dry. Coupled with winter winds, the dryer atmosphere tends to lead to not just dry skin, but dry eyes. Some dry eye patients only experience symptoms during these cooler months, while others find their already annoying symptoms exacerbated.

So what can you do?

Many dry eye patients assume that staying inside and avoiding the cold, dry air and winds is the answer. However, inside environments during the winter can be nearly as irritating. Indoor heating lessens the amount of moisture in the air resulting in dry eye. You can prevent this by adding moisture to the air by using an air humidifier. In addition, you can try to limit computer and television usage as looking at these types of screens strains your eyes. Can’t avoid working on your computer? Try turning down the brightness settings on your computer and your likely to find some relief.

Of course, dry eye patients can’t avoid going outside all together. But there are measures you can take to lessen the effects of the colder, dryer winter environment. Break out your sunglasses even if it isn’t particularly sunny to keep winds from drying out your eyes. Wear goggles if you're going to be outside sledding, skiing or participating in other outdoor winter activities. If your eyes feel particularly strained, try shutting them for a few moments to allow them to re-lubricate.

Need more relief?

If your symptoms are bothersome even after taking the precautions described above, fortunately, there are many products out there to help soothe your irritated eyes.

Changes to your diet can be key as Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help stimulate tear production. MedOp’s Maxi Tears Dry Eye Formula works to relieve dry eyes with a blend of Omegas and vitamins. Tranquileyes goggles are an option as well. This product provides eye hydrating therapy to soothe and restore dry, tired eyes by creating a humid, warm environment which stimulates tear production and slow the evaporation of tears.

If you sense your symptoms aren’t due to the weather, but are due to some underlying issues, check with your doctor to see if you might be suffering from Blepharitis (swelling or inflammation of the eyelids, usually where the eyelash hair follicles are located) and/or Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (abnormal composition of secretions from the meibomian glands on the eyelids which can cause Blepharitis). If this is your issue, consider an eyelid scrub to prevent clogging of the Meibomian glands along your eyelid. In addition, you may want to consider a lipsome spray. Ocusoft offers both eyelid cleansers, lidscrubs, and liposome sprays to promote proper eyelid hygiene.

You shouldn’t have to equate the holiday months with a time of uncomfortable eye irritation. By knowing what causes dry eye during these colder months and how you can effectively combat it, you can get on the path to avoiding the issue all together.

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Is it Allergies or Dry Eye Syndrome? How to Tell and How to Treat

This time of year it can be hard to tell whether eye irritation and dryness is a result of fall ocular allergies or actual dry eye syndrome. While allergy symptoms can be relieved through many dry eye relief methods, treating the core issue is necessary for lasting relief so it is important to determine the root of your symptoms.

So how can you figure out which condition you’re suffering from in order to best approach treatment? Here are a few rules of thumb:

1. Perhaps the easiest way to determine the root of your symptoms is to consider when they occur. If your symptoms are seasonal, you can probably assume that allergies are to blame. If your symptoms are consistent or seem to fluctuate independently of weather patterns, however, you are likely confronting dry eye syndrome.

2. Look to your lids. If your lids are swollen and your symptoms occur in conjunction with nasal congestion, you are most likely suffering from allergies. Dry eye syndrome rarely manifests this way.

3. Is your vision blurry? If you are experiencing blurred vision, dry eye syndrome is very likely your culprit.

4. Do you eyes burn or itch? While allergies can cause a burning sensation in the eyes, burning is more common in patients with dry eye syndrome. Similarly, itching can occur whether you have allergies or dry eye syndrome, but is more common in allergy cases.

5. Still unsure? With dry eye syndrome, tear breakup time seems to be short, and you may experience bloodshot eyes. In addition, dry eye patients experience tear hyperosmolarity. Have your eye doctor check to see whether or not your osmolarity is normal to develop a clearer indication of what is causing your irritation.

Now what?
If it appears that allergies are your issue, talk to your doctor to consider medication options. If instead you are suffering from dry eye syndrome, realize there are many causes of dry eye syndrome. Blepharitis and MGD are key triggers. If this is your issue, consider an eyelid scrub to prevent clogging of the Meibomian glands along your eyelid. In addition, you may want to consider a lipsome spray. Ocusoft offers both eyelid cleansers, lidscrubs, and liposome sprays to promote proper eyelid hygiene.

Further, there are ways you can combat symptoms whether allergies or Blepharitis are at hand. Changes to your diet can be key as Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help stimulate tear production. MedOp’s Maxi Tears Dry Eye Formula works to relieve dry eyes with a blend of Omegas and vitamins. Tranquileyes goggles are an option as well. This product provides eye hydrating therapy to soothe and restore dry, tired eyes by creating a humid, warm environment which stimulates tear production and slow the evaporation of tears.

Getting in tune with the cause of your symptoms will help you gain control over them. For more dry eye treatments and general optical information, check us out on Facebook and Twitter, and see our Directory for product suggestions.

Could Dry Eye Be Making Your Migraines Worse?

While there isn’t sufficient research to prove a connection between dry eye and migraines, some studies suggest that the two may be related. Thinking logically, such a connection would make sense. We tend to react to dry eye symptoms by rubbing, itching, and squinting. All of these activities increase pressure around and behind the eyes, which in turn could aggravate headaches.

So what does the research say? A research study called “Dry Eyes and Migraines: Is There Really a Correlation” found that dry eye disease occurs more frequently in patients who experience migraine headaches than in non-migraine patients. Of course, correlation does not equal causation, but this research supports the hypothesis that migraine attacks may be worsened or set off by dry eye symptoms.

Dry eye symptoms alone are bothersome. If these symptoms are setting off migraine headaches too, they might seriously limit and affect day to day activities. So what can you do? Pinpointing the root of your dry eye symptoms is a good place to start. If your symptoms are seasonal, your dry eye may be a result of allergies, which proper treatment can control. Check out your pharmacy for options or consult your doctor. If you wear contact lenses, consider how your specific type of lenses may be contributing to your dry eye. Check out our article here to read more about how your choice of contact lenses and lens cleaning routine affects your symptoms. Often, however, dry eye has little to do with lens use or allergies. Many patients suffer from blepharitis, inflammation of the eyelid, which cause worrisome dry eye symptoms. Proper eyelid hygiene is the answer to this problem. Consider investing in eye drops, liposome sprays, and lid scrubs to combat your symptoms. Occusoft offers an impressive line of products that get to the root of your problem so you can find relief. Regardless of the root of your dry eye, EyeEco’s Tranquileyes product uses soft, flexible goggles to offer eye hydrating therapy. The goggles create a humid, warm environment that stimulates tear production and slows the evaporation of tears. By combating the root of your dry eye symptoms, and finding relief, you can prevent pressure build up behind the eyes that might be triggering your migraines.

For more dry eye information, check us out on facebook and twitter, and visit our directory for product suggestions.

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Beat Your Dry Eye This Summer

Regardless of whether you’re spending most of your time outdoors enjoying the nice weather, inside escaping the heat, or travelling, you will likely find that summertime can pose increased challenges for the dry eye sufferer. Become aware of what is causing your symptoms so that you can plan ahead to prevent, or at least treat, your dry eye effectively.

Summer weather draws many of us outside. While some locations are quite humid in the summer, providing dry eye relief, other areas become increasingly dry in the summer. If you live in a dry environment, avoid excessive time outside or take steps to treat your aggravated dry eye. Consider investing in a pair of EyeEco’s Tranquileyes. These soft, flexible goggles create a warm and humid environment around the eyes in order to help stimulate tear production and slow the evaporation of tears.

Even if you do not find yourself in a dry environment, be aware of the drying effects of the sun and wind and be sure to wear proper eye protection outside. In addition to investing in a cool pair of shades, consider the possibility that allergies might be a source of your dry eye. If allergies are a culprit, you need to treat this problem in addition to your dry eye symptoms in order to find lasting relief.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that retreating indoors will solve your problems either. Air conditioning and ceiling fans create low-humidity environments, which irritate dry eye. Summer travelers especially should take note as airplane cabins range from humidity levels of 5-35%. This means the air in an airplane is about as dry as the air during winter in a heated home! Again, EyeEco’s Tranquileyes can help ease your dry eye when lack of humidity is an issue. In addition, consider investing in an air humidifier and turn your ceiling fans off as much as possible (or to a reverse rotation setting so that they will blow air up instead of down and into your eyes).

 

You can also fight dry eye by drinking plenty of water, eating right, and taking proper supplements with vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids. MedOp offers a formula called MaxiTears that can help improve your tear quality.

Summer should and can be a fun time, even for the dry eye sufferer. As long as you stay aware of dry eye causes and treat your symptoms in a timely manner, you should be able to find the relief you need in order to enjoy the summer months.

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