Dry Eyes

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Dry Eyes

More Moisture--In Seconds

When it comes to dry eyes, the causes vary. Overheated rooms. Air-conditioned rooms. Air-conditioned cars. Pollution. Working at a computer for hours. A bit of grit in your eye. Allergies. Allergy medicines. Other medicines.

And let's not forget aging. As we get older we may still cry at romantic movies, but we produce fewer moistening tears. And more women than men experience dry eyes, because of hormonal changes--specifically, a drop in estrogen production that accompanies menopause.

"Most women over age 40 have dry eyes," says Anne Sumers, M.D., an ophtalmologist in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

If you wear contact lenses, dry eyes may become a problem sooner--around age 35, says Monica L. Monica, M.D., Ph.D., an ophthalmologist in New Orleans and spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Contact lenses are uncomfortable when eyes are dry, so dryness is more noticeable in lens wearers.

Ironically, crying or excessive tearing can still leave your eyes dry. Normally, every time you blink, your eyes create tears that keep them moist and dewy. But when you cry or get a piece of grit in your eyes, your eyes shed more diluted "fighter reflex" tears that run out of your eyes too quickly to wet them.

One thing is for sure--dry eyes hurt.

"Dry eyes look red and they burn, tear excessively or feel irritated and scratchy," says Dr. Monica.

H₂O TO THE RESCUE

Regardless of the cause, relief is just seconds away.

Splash a little water in your eye. If closing your eyes for a few minutes doesn't relubricate them, step into the nearest washroom and splash water in your eyes, says Dr. Monica. (If you wear contact lenses, skip this remedy. Otherwise, bacteria routinely present in water could interfere with your wetting solution or lodge under your lens and lead to infection.)

Apply a cold compress. If you have the time, wet a towel or washcloth and apply to your eye for a few minutes two or three times, says Dr. Monica.

Buy artificial tears. If you wear contact lenses, use rewetting drops, or if tap water and cold compresses aren't convenient, go to the drugstore and buy over-the-counter artificial tears such as Moisture Drops, Hypotears or Tears Naturale. Apply immediately and repeat as often as necessary, says Dr. Monica.

DAY-TO-DAY STRATEGIES

Once you have found immediate relief, follow these tips for lasting comfort.

Use tears liberally. Use artificial tears as often as you like--doctors say that most people underuse artificial tears. "You can use them as often as needed--from once or twice a day to every 20 minutes," says Dr. Monica. These over-the-counter drops will cleanse your eyes and restore the right kind of tears.

Go preservative-free. If you wear contacts or use artificial tears more than once or twice a day, choose a preservative-free brand such as Hypotears PF or Celluvise. Otherwise, your eyes may sting or your contacts may react adversely to the preservatives, says Dr. Monica.

When To See A Doctor Many medications--decongestants, antihistamines and sleep aids or sedatives--can dry your eyes. Artificial tears can help. If they don't, talk to your doctor--she may be able to suggest an alternative. When accompanied by other symptoms, dry eyes can be a sign of infection that, untreated, can cause vision loss. See a doctor if: * Your eye remains pinkish-red, despite frequent use of artificial tears. * Your eye hurts. * Your vision changes. * You notice pus or discharge from your eye. * You have dry eyes, dry mouth and arthritis (these symptoms may be a sign of Sjögren's syndrome, a rare but treatable condition that sometimes affects women at midlife).

Don't use medicated eyedrops such as Murine or Visine. They are decongestants and shrink the eye's blood vessels, treating redness, not dryness, says Silvia Orengo-Nania, M.D., assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Moisten your eyes before blow-drying your hair. Do you use a hair dryer every morning? To keep from drying your eyes along with your tresses, use artificial tears before and after you blow-dry, says Dr. Monica. For extra measure, moisten your eyes halfway through, too.

Humidify your work space. If you suspect that a bone-dry work space is contributing to your problem, put a humidifier near your desk, or if possible, open a window, says Dr. Sumers.

Skip the alcohol. Drinking alcohol can leave your mouth parched. It can dry out your eyes, too. If you go out for a social drink, keeping alcohol to a minimum (or choosing a nonalcoholic beverage) is kinder to your eyes, says Dr. Monica.

Stay smoke-free. "Smoking is notorious" for causing dry eyes, says Dr. Monica. If you smoke, or if you live with someone who does, using artificial tears will keep your eyes moistened. Quitting, of course, solves the underlying problem.

Wear your lenses part-time. To ease the strain of dry eyes, "Remove your lenses at the end of the workday, just like you kick off your shoes," says Dr. Monica. If you have dry eyes, this might be a good idea whether you have daily-wear or extended-wear lenses.

Pretreat at bedtime. If you wake up with scratchy, burning eyes, use tear ointment such as Lacri-Lube before you go to bed, says Dr. Monica. It's thicker than artificial tears and available over the counter at your drugstore. It will help keep your eyes lubricated, but it's only for overnight use, because it blurs your vision.

(For more solutions to contact lens problems, see page 142.)