Dry Eye
Grainy, gritty, sandy eyes. Itchy, red, watery eyes. All are symptoms of dry eye. Just as it has multiple symptoms, dry eye is a multifactorial condition. Many things that we do to our bodies can affect the comfort of our eyes. Many medications can have a drying effect on the eyes. Contact lenses and makeup can disrupt our tear film. Environmental factors such as relative humidity, screen time, and hydration drive dryness as well.
Because dry eye has multiple causes there is no straightforward cure. Treatment may involve eye drops, but modifying other factors may help as well. Ask you doctor how to best treat your dry eye symptoms.
Artificial Tears
Dryness, irritation, redness. We’ve all tried an eye drop to help our symptoms, but not all moisturizing drops are the same. Different eye drops have different thicknesses, preservatives and components. Some drops work better for oil based problems versus water based dryness problems. Some people have preservative sensitivities and require Preservative Free moisture. Preservative Free artificial tears come in individual vials instead of the typical bottle to keep them sterile.
Some eye conditions require thicker formulations in gel or ointment forms. Avoid drops like Visine and Clear Eyes. These drops contain medication that can cause a dependence on the drops. Ask your doctor today which drop is right for you.