If your eyes feel dry, scratchy, or like they have sand in them, you could be suffering from dry eye. Dry eyes can be a nuisance, especially when they affect your daily life. Whether you’re reading a book, working on your computer, or just spending time outside, dry eyes can make everything feel uncomfortable. At Northeast Eye Care in Oakland, Pender, and West Point, Nebraska, we’re here to help you find relief. In this blog post, we’ll explore some simple tips and effective treatments that can provide much-needed relief for your dry eyes.
Simple tips to relieve dry eyes at home
You can do a lot on your own to manage and relieve mild cases of dry eyes. Here are some easy tips you can try at home:
- Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water helps keep your whole body, including your eyes, hydrated. Aim for at least eight glasses of water a day.
- Blink more often: When you’re focused on a screen or a book, you might not blink as much. Make a conscious effort to blink more often to keep your eyes moist.
- Use a humidifier: If the air in your home is dry, it can dry out your eyes too. A humidifier adds moisture to the air and helps keep your eyes comfortable.
- Take breaks from screens: Give your eyes a break by following the 20-20-20 rule—every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This helps prevent eye strain and dryness.
- Wear sunglasses: Protect your eyes from the wind and sun by wearing sunglasses, especially those with wraparound frames, to reduce tear evaporation and irritation.
- Use over-the-counter eye drops: Artificial tears can provide quick relief and help keep your eyes lubricated. Look for preservative-free options to avoid any additional irritation.
Advanced treatments for severe dry eyes
Sometimes, home remedies aren’t enough to treat severe dry eyes. If that’s the case, Northeast Eye Care offers advanced treatments that can make a significant difference. Our dry eye specialists in West Point, Pender, and Oakland, Nebraska can determine the underlying cause of your discomfort and recommend the best solution for your specific needs. If you have severe or chronic dry eye and other treatment options are ineffective, we may suggest the following procedures:
- OptiLight IPL therapy: This innovative light-based treatment targets an underlying cause of dry eyes and improves the function of your tear-producing glands. It’s a great option for those with chronic dry eye.
- TempSure Envi: Using gentle radiofrequency energy, TempSure Envi warms the skin around your eyes, boosting the production of natural oils in your tear film. This helps keep your eyes lubricated and comfortable.
- MiBo Thermoflo: MiBo Thermoflo uses a heated device to warm and open up the oil glands in your eyelids, restoring proper function to these glands and allowing the oils to flow freely again. This treatment offers long-lasting relief from dry eye symptoms as well as anti-aging benefits such as smoother and firmer skin.
While many cases of dry eyes can be managed at home, persistent or severe symptoms need professional attention. Be sure to see an eye doctor if you notice constant dryness or irritation, redness and swelling, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, or difficulty wearing contact lenses.
At Northeast Eye Care, we’re dedicated to helping you find relief from dry eyes. Whether your symptoms are mild or severe, we offer personalized care and advanced treatments to get you back to seeing comfortably and clearly. Schedule an appointment at our Oakland, Pender, or West Point location.