Experiencing a bit of dry eye? Don’t worry. That’s fairly normal. The good news is, most cases of dry eye are completely and easily treatable. Here are three very common reasons why your eyes may feel dry:
- You’ve Been Sick: Suffering from allergies, a cold, or the flu? Then there’s a great chance that your eyes are going to show it. Are eyes often feel dry, just like our throats and mouths, when we suffer from respiratory related illness. And if you popped a few pills to take care of the seasonal sneezing or the pesky virus, be prepared. These medications dry your eyes out faster than you can swallow the water to accompany them. If you are sick, it’s best to give your contact lenses a few days break until your eyes feel normal again.
- You Are Dehydrated: Did you know that it’s just as common to be dehydrated in the winter as in the summer. We get busy, and we forget to drink the water we need to keep our bodies healthy. The symptoms of dehydration show up not just in your mouth, but also in your eyes. If you feel parched in the eyeballs, dry drinking an additional 36 ounces of water a day and see what a difference it makes. I’ve found that when I actually count how much water I’m consuming, it’s much less than the 6-8 glasses a day that are recommended for optimal health.
- They are Old Lenses: You ignored the word “monthly” or “weekly” on that pair of contact lenses and have been wearing them a lot longer than the prescribed amount of time. This is the perfect storm for dry and irritated eyes. Contact lenses that were designed for specific and shorter duration wear are only designed to do their jobs for that amount of time. In other words, the way the lens would usually allow for air flow or moisture capturing is compromised when the lenses are worn past their recommended period. Dirt, bacteria, grime and other (even microscopic) stuff gets on those lenses and drys out your eyes like nobody’s business. Do your eye health a huge favor and only wear your lenses for the amount of time they were designed for. If you struggle with remembering to reorder lenses in time, join a program like this one from America’s Best where your lenses will automatically reorder on a schedule you set, so you never have to wear old lenses and jeopardize your vision.
If your eyes are chronically dry and none of the above applies to you, talk to your closest America’s Best optometrist about switching brands of contact lenses or about getting some specially prescribed eye drops to help alleviate your dryness.