You feel fire in your eyes, a massive burn.
You can’t keep your hands to yourself; all you want to do is itch. Your
contacts or glasses can’t help you because your vision is blurred. The glare
from the sun is painful; and you ask yourself, “What could this be?” The answer
is Dry Eye Syndrome (DES), and it is a disease. DES can be because your eyes
stop producing enough tears (composed of oil, water, and mucus) to lubricate
and nourish the front surface of your eyes or the tears evaporate too quickly. Certain autoimmune conditions, medications,
and hormones can compromise the tear film. DES also occurs with
advancing age, and is much more common in women than men. Environment, long term use of contact lenses,
and LASIK can cause decreased tear production and dry eye.
Artificial tears are
one of the best ways to treat DES. If
you dislike putting drops in your eyes, there are home remedies to improve your
condition. For example, remember to always blink your eyes when reading or
staring at a computer screen. Nutritional
supplements containing essential fatty acids (Omega-3s) may help decrease dry
eye symptoms. Increasing the level of
humidity in the air at work and at home can also be beneficial. Dry Eye
Syndrome can be very uncomfortable, so please see an Optometrist for further
evaluation and treatment, because nobody deserves to suffer from DES.
