Q. Lately my eyes have become dry and scratchy feeling when I blink. How can I soothe my irritated eyes?
A. Every time you blink, your healthy eyes get a bath from a fluid that’s a combination of oil, water, and mucus. This fluid, or tears, helps protect and moisturize the eyes. When something irritates your eyes or interferes with the production of tears, it can result in irritated dry eyes that are vulnerable to corneal abrasions.
Dry eyes are actually very common. More than 20 million Americans suffer from this annoying and sometimes painful condition. If you think you have dry eyes, check out some of these common symptoms and possible causes. Once you understand the culprit, you can begin to make changes to relieve your burning eyes, once and for all.
With a few simple changes you should begin to notice a real improvement. If after one month your eyes are still bothering you, make sure to see your eye doctor—severe cases can lead to eye damage and vision loss. During your eye exam, your doctor can check for vision problems and signs of health conditions that could be causing your dry eyes. An accurate diagnosis is important because symptoms of dry eye can be caused by other things like allergies or uncorrected refractive error or astigmatism.
To get more eye care tips, check out the February edition of the VSP EnVision Newsletter or subscribe to the newsletter today!
Dr. Michelle Calder-Cardwell is the owner and lead optometrist at Urban Optiques Vision & Eyewear in Northville, MI., and contributes her expertise monthly to the VSP EnVision newsletter “Ask The Eye Doc” column.
The content of this article is for general informational awareness purposes only. Please consult your eyecare doctor or physician for actual advice.