How do I Treat Dry Eye?
Discomfort and dryness are often the main symptoms of dry eye patients. Your ophthalmologist can suggest treatments that can help these symptoms. For both comfort and health reasons, it is important that you treat your dry eye properly, and always speak with your doctor if you have any concerns.
Prescription Methods Over the Counter Products
Knowing Your Environment Dry Eye and Contact Lenses
Medication and Dry Eye
Prescription Methods
Currently, Restasis is the only prescription available to treat the main causes of dry eye.
Over the Counter Products
Artificial tear products can be an excellent way to add to your natural tear film to reduce drying in your eye. Artificial tear products can also give you more comfort. They are available in many over-the-counter varieties. The key is to use the drops before your eyes begin to feel uncomfortable, or before entering a place where you know you will have dry eye symptoms. In addition to eye drops, some thicker eye creams are available. Eye creams are hard to use during the day because of their thickness, but they can be used at night to help reduce more severe dry eye symptoms.
Knowing Your Environment
Throughout the day, it is important to see if your environment is adding to your discomfort. The air may be too dry from heat or air conditioning. Simple things such as using a humidifier to moisten the air in your home or office, wearing glasses in windy conditions, or not allowing air to blow in your face in the car, can help reduce dry eye discomfort.
If you have dry eye, it may make it hard for you to wear contact lenses because your tears may be unable to keep the lenses wet, or properly lubricated. Contact lenses can cause you to lose wetness from your tear film. They can also soak up some of the tear film, so that the rest of the eye is not covered. This can cause discomfort. Staying away from dry environments, and using rewetting drops to keep both the eye and contact lens wet can reduce drying caused by contact lenses. Also, reducing how long you wear contact lenses during the day helps the tear film to spread over the eye. There are several contact lens material options available that can play a role in your comfort. Speak with your doctor to find out which one is the best for you.
Medication and Dry Eye
Some common medications you may take for allergies, depression, colds, arthritis, or birth control may dry out certain tissues in your body. This could cause your eyes to make fewer tears. These medications, typically those that are taken systemically (medication that is taken to affect the entire body, such as a pill), can sometimes have side effects. These side effects may include dehydration, dry mouth, or dry eyes. It is important to speak with your doctor about the side effects of dry eye medication.
Note: For a further description of any information on this page, please speak with your doctor.