It's not uncommon for people to visit their optician to complain about dry eyes. In fact, it's estimated that around one in five of us will complain about this at some point in our lives. But what is this condition? What causes it? And, most importantly, what can be done to cure it?
Symptoms
Symptoms of dry eyes include redness, itchiness or a feeling that your eyes are gritty or warm. Another side effect is that they can water more than usual and, although this sounds unusual for a condition liked with dryness, it is actually the body's way of making sure the surface of the eye has enough moisture - so in fact makes absolute sense!
Causes
There are two main reasons that people will complain of having overly dry eyes. One of these is that the tear ducts are not producing enough liquid to keep the eyes protected while you go about your usual daily activities. Another reason, which is perhaps the most common, is that the tears produced are evaporating too quickly. In this case, the amount may be sufficient, but the tears simply aren't staying on the surface for long enough.
Age and environment
When tears are produced to help protect our eyes, an oily layer forms part of the liquid that forms. Unfortunately, as we age this layer of oil gets thinner and thinner, which means our eyes can dry out all the more quickly as we get older. Another problem nowadays is that many of us work in environments that aren't exactly good for our vision. Staring at a computer screen in an air conditioned office all day, for example, isn't going to help those who suffer from dryness.
How to treat it
One of the things that might be suggested to you if you book an eye test is using lubricating eye drops. However, not all types of these eye drops are the same, so it's worth asking an optometrist if there is one in particular that is best suited to you. Ointments are also available; however these are for use at night before you go to bed as the blurring they cause can be bad for daytime use.
As with most things, eating well and living healthily is probably the best way to prevent issues affecting your vision - and it is generally agreed that foods with omega 3 are a great source of nutrition for sight. So why not try making some simple changes today to protect your eyes for the future.