Overview
Symptoms
You may have dry eyes if your eyes are:
- Itchy
- Sore
- Gritty
- Red
- Blurry
- Sensitive to light
- More watery than normal
Causes
You are re likely to suffer from dry eyes if you:
- are over the age of 50
- wear contact lenses
- spend a lot of time looking at computer screens
- smoke or drink alcohol
- take certain medicines such as antidepressants or medication to control blood pressure.
Treatment
In order to avoid dry eyes you should:
- Keep your eyes clean
- Take scheduled breaks from screen time
- Get plenty of sleep to rest your eyes
- Remove contact lenses every evening
A variety of non-prescription products for dry eyes are available from the pharmacy, including eyedrops (artificial tears), gels and ointments.
Artificial tears may be all you need to control mild dry eye symptoms. Some people need to put drops in several times a day, and some use them only once a day.
Lubricating eye ointments provide longer lasting relief but they can cause temporary cloudy vision due to their viscosity. It is best to use eyedrops during the day and ointment at night before bedtime.