7 Helpful Tips to Prevent Dry Eyes

All contact lens wearers have experienced dry eyes at some point. The irritation, the burning and heavy squinting make getting through the day unbearable. One of the steps to take is to observe the situations you are in when this occurs, as a lot of the time dry eyes may be prevented when the appropriate steps are taken. Here are 7 helpful tips to avoid dry eyes.

1. Set your computer screen below your eye level: When your screen is above your eye level you tend to open your eyes more to see the screen better. When your screen is lower you relax your eyes, which helps reduce the dehydration of thetears in your eyes.
2. Be mindful of your surroundings: Whether you live in the mountains, in the desert or are catching the next flight home, the air in these and many other areas can be very dry. Try closing your eyes more often to decrease the amount of moisture loss in your eyes. You can also carry an extra bottle of solution to rewet your lenses if they are drying out.
3. Try wearing a disposable moist contact lens: Theses lenses contain more water content than traditional lenses, so they provide longer lasting comfort throughout the day, and since they are disposable they require no maintenance. Just toss out the dry lenses and pop in a fresh pair. Moist contact lenses are also available for both astigmatic and multifocal wearers.
4. Think about wearing sunglasses: Consider wearing sunglasses, even when you wouldn't normally, if you find your eyes are drying out more often than you'd like. Blocking the suns scorching rays and the winds blustery gust will go a long way to keeping your eyes moist throughout the day.
5. Avoiding smoke or smoking: Not only is smoking bad for your lungs, it is also extremely bad for your eyes. You may find that smoke causes your contact lenses to rest uncomfortably in your eyes, causing them to become red, scratchy and irritating. This is because smoke extracts moisture from the surrounding air, thus drying out your contacts and your eyes at the same time. Smoking also can cause harmful long term consequences to your eyes such as glaucoma, cataracts and even blindness.
6. Prevent air blowing directly into your eyes: Fans, air conditioners, car heaters, and hair dryers. Each of these, among many others, can dry your lenses and your eyes out in minutes making for a really unpleasant rest of your day.
7. Use eye drops regularly: If you have persistent dry eyes be sure to use rewetting drops even when you're not dried out. This will keep you ahead of the game and avoid any unnecessary discomfort later. Consider using rewetting drops prior to removing your lenses. This will ensure that the lenses are well hydrated and therefore become easier and safer to remove.

Proper eye-care maintenance is critical for healthy vision. Although the above are great suggestions as to how to avoid dry eyes please make sure to consult your eye doctor for appropriate instructions and correct eyeglass and contact lens fittings.

Common eye problems in older age

Eye problems are common in older age and can seriously affect your quality of life. Many eye conditions are treatable, and some require urgent action. Here are some of the more common eye conditions:

1. Age-related cataracts: A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the front bit of your eye. The causes are unknown. However, certain factors like smoking, overexposing your eyes to sunlight, taking steroid drugs for a long time, a history of cataracts in your family or poor diet may all play a role. When you develop cataracts, you may notice a ‘glare’ in bright light or when you drive at night and you may have difficulty differentiating objects in low light.
2. Age-related macular degeneration: This condition affects an area in the back of your eye called the macula. You’re at higher risk of developing it if, among other factors, you smoke, drink more than four units of alcohol a day or have been exposed to lots of sunlight in your life. You may find that straight edges such as bookshelves or door frames look distorted, or that your vision is generally more blurred. You may also develop blind spots. Consult your ophthalmologist for more details.
3. Chronic glaucoma: In this condition you have an increased pressure in one or both of your eyes – often caused by fluid within your eye not draining away freely. You may not notice this problem at first, but if left for too long, glaucoma may permanently affect your vision (which is why the condition is known as ‘the thief of sight’).
4. Diabetes: Too much sugar in your blood can lead to chronic eye problems, with damage to the back of your eye (called diabetic retinopathy) being an important one.
5. Dry eyes: In dry eye syndrome (or keratoconjunctivitis sicca), your tears drain away or evaporate too fast. You may notice grittiness, tearing of your eyes and redness. We don’t know what causes dry eyes, but ageing, hormonal changes, illnesses and medicines are all thought to play a role. 

If you suffer from eye problems, consulting your eye specialist is usually best. Seek medical advice immediately if you notice any of these symptoms:

• You suddenly lose your vision fully or partially.
• You have a headache in addition to any visual symptoms.
• You can’t think straight in connection with your eye problem.
• You have a painful eye at the same time as loss of vision.