What causes dry eyes and how to fix it
If your eyes are feeling dry, itching, burning, or stinging you may have dry eyes. Whether it’s painful or just a little annoying, it can really get in the way of your day. Below is a list of several things that can cause eye dryness and then some ways you can combat it to find sweet sweet moisturizing relief.
Sleeping in your contact lenses
Well, well, well this can’t be the first time you’ve been told not to sleep in your contacts. Causing dry eyes is another reason not to do it. Sleeping with contacts, even ones approved for overnight use, tends to dry out your eyes because the thin plastic deprives your eyes of oxygen and the nutrients they need. Finding relief from this cause is simple: take out your contacts before you go to sleep.
Maxing out your screen time
Whether you’re on your phone, laptop, tablet, or smart watch staring at screens lowers how often you blink. Blinking less often is problematic because it’s necessary to spread your tear film across your eyeballs. Blinking less frequently can result in dryer, more aggravated eyes. Give your eyes a break from the screen every 20 minutes, and make sure your computer monitor is in the right place—it should be at or just below eye level so you don’t strain your eyes.
Using the wrong kind of eye drops
Artificial tears can provide quick relief to dry eyes. Sounds like they should be helping the irritation not causing it, right? Not all eye drops are created equal. Eye drops that offer redness relief have chemicals that shrink the blood vessels in your eyes which can worsen dry eyes. Basically, they’re causing the opposite of what you’re wanting. Click here to read about the different kinds of eye drops and how you can choose the ones best suited for your dry eye needs.
Wearing the wrong contact lenses
Traditional, rigid contact lenses can increase eye irritation, but the good news is there are lots of contact lenses designed specifically for helping alleviate eye dryness. Check out our article all about the best contact lenses for dry eyes.
Certain medications
Certain medications can contribute to dry eyes including antihistamines (allergy medications), antidepressants, medications used to treat hypertension, and diuretics. If you’re taking one of these medications and experiencing eye dryness, talk to your doctor to see if there may be an alternative medication you can take or which artificial tears they recommend.
Smoking
Cigarettes aren’t only harmful to your lungs, they’re also bad for your eyes. Smoking or being around smoke can make your eyes sting, burn, and feel scratchy. Smoke can also decrease your body’s production of nutrients necessary for healthy tear production, which leads to dryer eyes. Not to mention other vision problems and medical conditions linked to smoking like macular degeneration and cataracts.
Spending time outside without sunglasses
Your eyes need protection from the wind and sun. Choose sunglasses that fit close to your face and have side frames. For the best protection wear them no matter what the weather is outside, it doesn’t have to be sunny to need sunglasses.
Slight dehydration
If you aren’t drinking enough water your eyes can dry out. Set a goal to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day (this will benefit more than just your eyes). If you’re struggling to drink that much, add foods to your diet with a high liquid content like watermelon, tomatoes, and lettuce.
Wearing a heavy amount of mascara or eyeliner
Mascara and eyeliner can block the glands in your eyelids that make tears. Tears help your eyes stay nice and moist. When the glands are blocked not only can it cause dry eyes, but also pain and swelling. It can block the glands and get bacteria in your eye causing eye dryness and potentially a stye (also painful).
Dry eyes are a common problem, but thankfully several things can be done to prevent and combat the issue. What’s helped your dry eyes? Leave a comment below.