Dry Eye Treatment High Point

Dry Eye Solution in High Point

Dry Eye Syndrome is a common chronic condition that affects millions of Americans. A sandy, gritty feeling in the eyes, burning, redness, light sensitivity, blurred vision, and even excessive tearing can persist each day, and become worse if left untreated. This condition makes use of contact lenses quite uncomfortable and is the number-one reason people quit using otherwise beneficial lenses.

What causes dry eyes?

There are numerous external factors that can contribute to chronic dry eyes. Continuous exposure to sunny, dry or windy weather, heaters, air conditioners, fans, arid high altitudes including plane travel can increase the rate of evaporation of tears from the surface of your eyes. Working at a computer and staring at a screen for hours at a time can also exacerbate symptoms.

Dry eye syndrome can also be caused by biological issues. We produce fewer tears as we age, producing only 40% of the lubricating tears we produced as teenagers by age 65. Additionally, hormonal changes (especially in women can affect the tear film. Diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disease, and even allergy medications can lead to dry eye and ocular discomfort as well.

Treatment Options

There are several treatment options for dry eye. Your doctor will discuss which ones are right for you. We offer prescription eye drops and several non-prescriptions that are tailored to your tear film needs. Many of these products are available at our office.

Eye Strain

Spending long periods staring at a computer, phone, or tablet screen can cause a strain on your eyes. Using the 20-20-20 rule can help to prevent this problem. The rule states that for every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, a person should look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Following the rule is a great way to remember to take frequent breaks. This should reduce eye strain caused by looking at digital screens for too long.

Symptoms of eye strain

eye-watering
blurred vision
dry eyes
headaches
eye redness

Like the 20-20-20 rule, the following methods can help to reduce or prevent eye strain:

Applying eye drops can help a person suffering from dry eyes, which can occur when using digital screens for long periods.

Using eye drops. A person blinks less than usual when using digital screens, and this can dry out the eyes. Drops or artificial tears can be purchased at most pharmacies and online (put a link to our online store on the word online) Preservative-free eye drops are best.
Change computer settings. Making text twice as large as usual can reduce eye strain. Reading black text against a white background is easiest on the eyes.
Reduce screen glare. Protective anti-glare screens can be applied to computers and eyeglasses, to prevent eye problems. Also, flat screens tend to have less glare than curved ones.
Adjust the screen’s contrast. Change settings so that the screen is bright enough to read the text without straining. The right contrast may change, depending on the presence of sunlight.
Get regular eye checkups. Poor eyesight is a major cause of strain. Regularly attending checkups will ensure that a person has an updated prescription when needed.