Does it feel like someone has thrown sand in your eyes? Are they constantly burning or stinging? Do you find yourself reaching for eye drops throughout the day for relief?
You might be experiencing dry eye. Dry eye disease affects more than 16 million people in America. It is one of the most common reasons people visit their optometrist. And a new remedy—a nasal spray—is coming soon.
Sadly, right now, you need to wear a mask when you’re out in public interacting with others.
This is clear, but as a result, your vision may be unclear.
For those who wear glasses, the most common complaint is foggy lenses. Another is dry eyes. They may not be perfect, but there are remedies for both. Let’s have a look.
Most people consider spring to be when allergy season strikes. Tree pollen hits hardest come early spring, but is then followed by grass pollen in the late spring, weed pollen in the summer, and ragweed pollen in the late summer and deep into fall. And, according to Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist and immunologist with Allergy & Asthma Network, it’s always allergy season because, in addition to lengthy pollen seasons, year-round offenders include dust mites, mold, and pet dander. Allergies are especially hard on contact lens wearers. Allergies and contacts can be a tricky mix.
It’s bad enough that you wake up and your eyes feel gritty, swollen, and itchy. Then you have to put in your contact lenses. Ouch.
According to the American Optometric Association, there are approximately 45 million contact lenses wearers in the United States. Many cease wearing contact lenses due to seasonal allergies. Some stop only temporarily, while others throw in the towel and give up on wearing contacts.
But you don’t have to. Understanding the symptoms and treatment options available can bring relief and help you weather allergies and contacts issues.
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), dry eye is a diagnosis with which a person has inadequate tears available to lubricate the eye.
Tears comprise a mixture of water, fatty oils and mucus that maintain the smoothness and clarity of vision while preventing the risk of eye infections. When the tear ducts do not provide the regulation of tear lubrication, patients experience constant irritation, burning, excessive tearing and blurred vision. With each blink of an eye, tears provide nourishment across the entire surface of the cornea and wash away foreign matter.
