Having dry eyes is not only irritating, it can lead to more serious eye conditions in the long run. This is why it is important to take care of your eyes before it’s too late.
The best eye drops for dry eyes can usually be found in your local drugstore. In more severe cases, your eye doctor may recommend different treatments.
How To Select The Best Eye Drops
As previously mentioned, there are eye drops with preservatives and those without. Eye Drops with preservatives usually contain chemicals that prevent bacteria growth once the bottle has been opened. However, the preservatives may cause further irritation to your eyes.
On the other hand, preservative-free eye drops have fewer additives and chemicals. This is recommended for those who apply drops more than four times a day. The goal of these artificial tears is to keep the surface of your eyes moist for comfort.
Another great option are the non-prescription gels and gel inserts. These can cause temporary blurred vision. If the dry eye symptoms persist after trying several products, you may want to give your eye doctor a visit.
By visiting an eye doctor, you will know if there are any underlying illnesses that cause your dry eyes. Ophthalmologists can suggest other treatments that can give you long-term relief.
What Causes Dry Eyes?
When you experience dry eyes, there could be plenty of reasons. Your tear film can easily get dried out by different factors such as the weather, your air conditioner, heater, and etc.
Usually, the lack of balance in your tear-flow system causes dry eyes. There could also be other causes such as aging, side effects of certain drugs, rheumatoid arthritis, collagen vascular diseases and more.
Exposure to elements such as heat, cold, dust, and more can also cause dryness in your eyes. Additionally, long exposure to digital screens can also cause irritation and dryness.
Dry Eye Symptoms
Your eyes may be dry if you experience one or more of these symptoms regularly:
- Itching
- Redness around the eyes
- Gritty feeling
- Sensitivity to light
- Your vision gets blurry often
- You get the constant feeling like there is something in your eye.
Treatments for Dry Eyes
There are many different treatments for dry eyes. It is always best to consult with your eye doctor to ensure that there are no underlying causes.
You can always try lubricating eye drops to help keep your eyes moist. There are plenty of over-the-counter drops for this. Usually, it is recommended to use eye drops without preservatives as this can further irritate your eyes. You may go through a few different brands at first to see which one works best for you.
