How To Treat Dry Eyes With Contacts

There are ii unopened boxes of contact lenses in the cabinet under my sink. I'grand non using those tiny disposables anymore; wearing them makes my optics so dry they feel like they're being sucked out of their sockets. Actually, information technology's not the contacts — those take many benefits, and I've worn some version of them since my teens. But as a middle-ager now, the contacts aggravate a status I take that's apparently pretty common: dry eye syndrome. "I'd say at to the lowest degree a quarter of my patients have some degree of complaint almost dryness," says Dr. Matthew Gardiner, an ophthalmologist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

The eyes have it

Our eyes have a few sources of moisture. 1 is the lacrimal gland in the upper outer quadrant of the centre. That'south the gland that produces buckets of tears if y'all cry or something gets in your eye.

Other sources include

• a network of glands embedded in the conjunctiva (the white surface of the heart and the undersurface of the eyelids) that produces water and mucus

• glands at the edge of the lids that produce an oily substance.

The cocktail of h2o, mucus, and oil from these terminal two sources make up the tear movie on the centre surface. Nosotros demand it to see properly. "Each fourth dimension you blink, you reapply a new moisture surface," explains Dr. Gardiner.

No more tears?

As we age, our tear production slows. If the lacrimal glands don't make as many tears, y'all'll have a trouble with tear quantity. If some of the other glands slow, such as those that produce oil, you'll have a problem with tear quality, since you need all three tear components for the tear film. The result is dry eye syndrome, with symptoms that include called-for and a feeling of grittiness in the eyes.

But it'south not just crumbling that tin crusade dry middle syndrome. Other causes include

• side effects from medications (such as antihistamines or claret force per unit area medications)

• underlying conditions (such every bit thyroid problems; diabetes; rheumatoid arthritis; Sjögren's syndrome, an immune system disorder; or Parkinson'due south affliction)

• your environment (exposure to dust, fume, and other pollutants)

• eye surgery

• contact lens use

• looking at electronic gadgets too long without blinking (if y'all go too long without blinking, you lot're not giving your eyes a run a risk to furnish the tear film).

This terminal condition linked to electronic gadget utilize is known as computer vision syndrome, and Dr. Gardiner is seeing it more often. "People tend to stare at their screens and blink less. Their eyes become dry out considering they're open more of the time, and they dry out because there'south non as much blinking to refresh the surface the center," he explains. Reckoner vision syndrome tin can also include symptoms such as blurry or double vision.

Don't let dry eyes go untreated

Taking intendance of dry eyes non only relieves discomfort but can assistance you lot avert infection or even scarred corneas. Treatment is pretty unproblematic, also.

For people who brand enough tears just have dry out centre symptoms, Dr. Gardiner recommends

• warm compresses

• gentle middle massage to stimulate the oil glands on the lid margins.

For people who aren't making enough tears, Dr. Gardiner recommends

• artificial tears (in that location are many types and brands)

• medicines that increase tear production, such equally ophthalmic cyclosporine (Restasis)

• an in-office procedure to block tear drainage by inserting plugs into the tear drainage ducts.

Some research has even suggested that caffeine can help dry eyes. "Caffeine does increment the production of the lacrimal glands," says Dr. Gardiner, "only be conscientious about increasing your caffeine intake. Too much caffeine can cause jitters and indisposition." In other words, don't guzzle java in an endeavor to fix dry eyes.

My own set up for dry out eyes has been using bogus tears, leaving my contacts in their boxes (except for special occasions), and wearing eyeglasses. It'southward not as convenient as wearing contact lenses, simply information technology'southward a lot more than comfortable on these middle-aged eyes.

Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-fix-for-dry-eyes-201702102505

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