For those who suffer from dry eyes, you likely notice quite a few other unpleasant symptoms besides just having achy and dry eyes. Headaches may be more common and you may feel tired despite having slept well. All of these symptoms can be related to the health of your eye. If you find yourself needing to take drops in order to stimulate or overcompensate for the lack of natural tears in your eyes, then you’re not alone. Many others suffer from the same condition. Luckily, there is a dry eye treatment out there that is perfect for you. This article will discuss the causes of dry eye and what treatments you might want to consider.
Dry Eye
Tear ducts and tear glands are responsible for keeping your eye moist. Each time you blink, the tears are spread across your eye to keep the cornea protected and moist. This moisture traps bacteria from infecting the eye. They also help to remove debris or another material that may have landed in your eye. There are two main reasons why you may be suffering from dry eye.
The first is that your body does not produce enough tears. This is a natural phenomenon that can occur as you age. The glands that surround the eye just stop producing as many tears. Sometimes, this can be a result of certain medications that you’re taking. Other times, the environment might be to blame. Dry or windy weather can easily dry your eyes out, and if you already don’t produce enough tears, then that sort of climate can quickly dry out the rest of your eye.
The other reason behind a dry eye is if the tears you produce aren’t good quality. Interestingly, there are three layers to a tear. Oil, water, and mucus all make up an excellent tear when all of the layers are created with their appropriate quantities. The oil keeps the water from evaporating, and the mucus helps spread the tear across the eye. Without each layer there to do its job, the tear cannot effectively keep the eye lubricated.
Dry Eye Treatment
There are numerous forms of dry eye treatment options available. For those with mild cases, all you may need is a prescription for adding tears. This is easily done by regularly applying the artificial tears across your eyes. They are the common drops that you place in your eye.
Another treatment is known as conserving tears. This is an excellent option for those who have healthy tear ducts except they don’t seem to produce or hold tears effectively. Dr. Patel can plug the tear duct to conserve those tears.
Eye health is important. At Wichita Vision Institute in Wichita, KS, we can find the perfect dry eye treatment for you. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!