What is Dry Eye?

Dry eye is a relatively common condition in which your eyes cannot produce enough tears, or the tears that are produced are evaporating too quickly. Tears lubricate your eyes, keep them clean, and make you feel comfortable. Disrupted tear production may lead to dryness, irritation, and discomfort. Dry-eyed people usually experience stinging, burning sensations accompanied by blurred vision, red eyes, or the feeling of something being in their eyes.

Dry eye can strike anyone regardless of age, but most of them occur in elderly people. Normally, it is caused by a condition that takes several hours of staring at the screen, keeping the room air-conditioned, or exposed to harsh weather conditions such as wind or smoking. Mild cases will need home treatment, while chronic or serious dryness needs to be consulted with doctors.

Causes of Dry Eye:

Knowing what causes dry eye is of great importance before going to treatments. Here are five common causes:

• Age: Tear production decreases with age, and the loss of fluids naturally causes dryness.

• Screen Time: Frequently staring at screens will cause your blink rate to slow down, evaporating tears prematurely.

• Environment: It can become dry due to wind, smoke, or dry air.

• Contact lenses: Long-term contact lens use will disrupt the normal function of your natural tear film.

• Medications: Several drugs, such as antihistamines, antidepressants, and blood pressure medications can affect tear production.

Now that we know the causes, let's explore some of the remedies that provide quick relief.

5 Natural Remedies to Treat Dry Eyes:

1. Warm Compress:

A warm compress has been one of the easiest ways to soothe dry eyes.

• How it works: The gentle pressure of warm cloth applied over closed eyes helps open up an oil gland blockage in the eyelid, which enhances tear distribution. It results in better-quality tears that relieve good moisture.

• How to do it: Soak a clean washcloth in warm water, wring it out, then squeeze it onto your eyes for 5-10 minutes. The best results will be achieved by doing this twice daily.

2. Water Hydration:

Proper hydration will regulate tear secretion.

• How it works: When the body is dried up, tear production decreases and subsequently causes dry eyes.

• How to do it: Drink at least 8 glasses of water so that every part of the body, including the eyes, does not suffer from dehydration. Hydration can help significantly in decreasing symptoms of dry eye.

3. Frequent Blinking:

It sounds almost as simple as it really is, but blinking more even when staring at screens makes all the difference.

• How it works: This moistening spreads water evenly over the surface of your eye. Normally, we blink less when in front of screens, which leads to drying out of surface.

• How to do it: set reminders to blink every few seconds, especially during hours of reading, watching TV, or using a computer. One other method to achieve the blinking solution is to follow the 20-20-20 rule (after 20 minutes of use, take a 20-second break and look 20 feet away).

4. Humidifier:

Adding humidity to the air could effect in decreasing dry eye symptoms, including discomfort in an already dry or air-conditioned environment.

• How it works: It keeps the moisture of the air, thus it will not let your tears evaporate.

• How to do it: Use the humidifier in the bedroom or workspace, especially during dry winter months or in air-conditioned environments.

5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

The diet also plays an important role in eye health, and a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids may help to improve tear production.

• How it works: By reducing inflammation in the eye glands, omega-3 fatty acids enable better tear production and oil secretion.

• How to do it: Include foods rich in Omega-3 such as salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia seeds in the diet. Supplements of Omega-3 could be used if necessary under a prescription from a doctor.

Additional preventive measures against dry eye problems:

In addition to these treatments, here are some daily tips that help avert dry eyes:

• Take regular breaks: While in front of your screens, follow the 20-20-20 rule to reduce eye strain.

• Wear sunglasses: Sunglasses will protect the eyes from wind, dust, and bright sunlight while outside.

• No Direct Air: Do not sit in front of a fan, air conditioner, or heating vent because the air is blown directly into your eyes.

• Clean your Eyelids: Massage the eyelids with an innocuous cleaner in order to decrease inflammation and allow blocked glands to drain out oil that produces quality tears.

If these home remedies do not improve the condition or symptoms worsen, then an eye specialist must be consulted. He/she may prescribe artificial tears, ointments, or medications that can suppress inflammation in its early stages. More serious types require punctal plugs (plugs that prevent tears from draining too quickly, thus maintaining moisture) and prescription eye drops.

Dry eyes can be uncomfortable, but they can easily be resolved with the right care. The more direct treatments like applying warm compress, taking more fluid, and lifestyle changes can easily be utilized. In case you're finding that you're frequently getting dry eye and feel it might be a chronic or serious condition, then you should visit the doctor. It is also an obligatory step to prevent the wind from blowing inside your eyes and keep your body hydrated at intervals to prevent any kind of damage to your eyes.