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Do You Suffer From Dry Eyes At Work?
Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome is more than just dry eyes.
It is a condition that can include many symptoms that cause discomfort, impair vision and limit your ability to go about your daily life. Our optometrists in Colorado Springs see patients all the time with the following symptoms:
- Dryness
- Itching
- Burning/Stinging
- Watery Eyes
- Light Sensitivity
- Feeling Like Something is in your Eye
- Sandy or Gritty Feeling
- Blurred Vision
- Difficulty Seeing at Night
- Discomfort Wearing Contact Lenses
Our Dry Eye Optometrists In Colorado Springs Can Help!
Our eye doctor specializes in diagnosing and treating chronic dry eye syndrome. We will assess your condition to determine the cause of your dry eyes and then find the best solution to relieve your symptoms and restore comfort to your precious eyes.
Based on your condition and the possible causes, our treatment may involve one of the following courses of action:
- Finding the right brand and formulation of artificial tears or prescription eye drops.
- Prescribing Steroid Eye Drops, Antibiotics or Lubricant Inserts.
- Inserting Punctal Plugs—to plug the tear drainage ducts and keep the tear film intact on the surface of eye.
- Warm compress therapy and meibomian gland expression, an in-office procedure that opens blocked meibomian glands which produce essential oils to lubricate the eyes.
- Medication adjustments.
- Adjusting your contact lens prescription or reducing wear during treatment.
Seeing is Vital to the Quality of your Life
Eyes are important indicators of overall health, and comprehensive eye care goes beyond a prescription for glasses or contact lenses. At Pikes Peak Eye Care In Colorado Springs, we take the time to get to know you, your eye care history, and your vision needs. Our optometrist’s provide the expert care, advice, options, and follow up you need whether you are a new patient or an existing one.
Are you waking up in the morning with dry or burning eyes?
For some people, waking up in the morning can be a nightmare. Their eyes are burning, itchy, the eyes look bloodshot and swollen, and an immediate downpour of eye drops simply reduces the pain. What could cause such an intense reaction to one’s eyes
“Burning Eyes” is often associated with either dry eye syndrome, an allergic reaction, blepharitis, or even pink eye. On rare occasions, the redness and swelling could be caused from a foreign substance that’s inside the eye. Like any good remedy, if you solve the source of the problem, burning eyes can be solved & treated rather quickly. Therefore, seeing an optometrist that can examine your eyes is essential to receive a quick diagnosis and prevent painful mornings.
The burning sensation from dryness is likely from a reduction or lack of oils that are produced from natural tears. While many of us rely on our tears to keep our eyes healthy & moist, sometimes the tear glands get clogged with dirt or bacteria and require a cleaning, such as Blephex or Lipiflow. After receiving one of these treatments, many feel an immediate change in their eyes within a few days.Often, your optometrist may recommend that you clean your eyes through warm compresses or artificial tears to treat mild irritation. Medicated eye drops can also be prescribed in case the initial treatments aren’t successful.
If you are an individual who experiences these burning mornings, here are some helpful tips to keep your eyes clear from common “dryness” triggers:
- Avoid staying in the sun or dry, arid areas, if possible.
- For contact lens wearers, investing in higher quality contacts or daily contact lenses often allow for more moisture & less dryness.
- For those on medications, some side effects might be causing dry eye symptoms. Consult your eye doctor if switching medications would be an alternative.
- Ensure your eyes are protected with polarized sunglasses when outside.
- A balanced diet that includes a healthy array of vitamins and fish oil.
- Seek an optometrist if your burning sensation lasts more than 2-3 days.
- Ensure you see your optometrists regularly to locate additional causes.
5 Tips to Help Relieve Your Dry Eye Symptoms
Dry eyes are a common, irritating eye condition. Caused by an insufficient amount of tears in your eyes or poor quality tear composition, eyes are often red and sore, with a scratchy feeling. While there is no foolproof cure for dry eyes we can help alleviate your pain and discomfort. If you suffer from Dry Eye Syndrome, please contact us for a consultation . We’ll evaluate your eyes and recommend the most suitable dry eye treatment to bring you comfort.
- Keep lubricating eye drops accessible.
Many types of artificial tears are available over-the-counter, without a prescription, and they are good at providing short-term relief. It may take some trial and error until you find the brand that works best for you. Preservative-free brands are ideal, especially if you find yourself reaching for the dropper more than once every two hours.
Ointments and gels are best for more severe cases of dry eyes, yet their thicker consistency may also blur your vision – so it’s best to apply these before sleep.
- Stay out of the path of strong air currents.
Wind, fans, a/c or heating vents and even hair dryers are all to blame for drying out eyes. It’s worthwhile to invest in a pair of wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes from our local, arid environment.
- Improve and re-moisturize your home atmosphere.
When you’re indoors, a humidifier will be very efficient at hydrating the air that surrounds you. This will slow down the rate of evaporation of your natural tears, thereby leaving your eyes with more lubricating moisture.
A high-quality air filter may also improve your interior environment by reducing dust and other irritants that bother eyes. Cigarette smoke is another known culprit of dry eyes, so it’s advised not to allow smoking in your home or near your work space!
- Allow your eyes to take a break.
Gazing at a computer screen or television, or reading for extended periods of time, can all dry out your eyes. Even driving long-distance journeys may have this effect. Reminding yourself to blink and giving your eyes some time to rest may facilitate your natural tear production. Keep in mind that normal, relaxed blinking occurs at a rate of six to 15 times per minute, yet when you’re concentrating on one target you’ll blink significantly less.
- Schedule regular eye exams with your eye doctor!
Our eye doctor is knowledgeable and experienced at helping to treat Dry Eye Syndrome. In order to alleviate your symptoms most effectively, it’s important to have an eye exam performed to determine the cause of your condition.
In addition to environmental triggers, dry eyes can be caused by a number of problems – including side effects from other medications, specific health conditions, and aging. By identifying the potential reasons for your particular dry eyes, our optometrist’s will be able to recommend the best treatments and strategies. A number of specialized remedies and procedures are now available to assist with relieving Dry Eye Syndrome at our Colorado Springs eye care clinic.