Do you have allergies? Are you starting to wonder if dry eye is a common allergy symptom?
Having dry eyes is a very common issue. It can happen due to allergies or something else. There are many different treatments and lifestyle changes you can make for dry eye.
Most adults experience dry eye after age 50, but it is possible to experience it earlier. Also, women are more likely to develop dry eye than men. Keep reading to learn more about dry eye!
What is dry eye?
When you have dry eyes, your eyes are uncomfortable. When you have dry eyes, your eyes can burn or sting.
Dry eyes can be because of things like flying, strong air conditioning or looking at a computer for too long. It is very important to know the causes and symptoms of dry eye so you can prevent it.
How do you get dry eye?
Dry eye is a problem with your tears. It could be that you aren’t producing enough tears or they are of low quality. Dry eye occurs when your tears evaporate too fast as well.
What are symptoms of dry eye?
There are a lot of symptoms for dry eye. Some of them include burning or feeling like there’s something in your eye.
You may also experience reduced tear production. Although it seems counter-intuitive, you could have increased tear production too.
You could also experience:
- corneal and conjunctival staining
- keratitis
- tired eyes
- photophobia
- sensitivity to light
- redness
- problems driving at night
- issues wearing contact lenses
- discharge
- pain in the eye
- blurry vision.
What are the possible treatments for allergies/dry eyes?
No matter if you are trying to treat allergies or dry eyes, you want to treat the root cause. Here are different treatment options:
If you are experiencing dry eyes and allergies, stop taking antihistamines. Antihistamines can make dry eye worse.
Talk to your doctor about other ways to treat your allergies without antihistamines.
When pollen counts are high, you should keep your house and car windows closed. You should also use air conditioning to avoid letting pollen inside.
Make sure to wear your sunglasses or regular glasses while you are outside. They will help protect your eyes from pollen and allergens.
Use a special mattress cover on your bed to help reduce dust mites.
When your house is humid, you should use a dehumidifier to help cut down on mold.
Wash your hands after petting a dog, cat, or any other pet.
Buy an air purifier device for all the rooms that you spend the most time in like your bedroom.
Some of these treatments will not apply to if you are not allergic to the specific allergen. Some combination of these methods should help ease your allergy and dry eye symptoms.
You should remember that allergies and dry eye can have similar symptoms and causes.
Are you ready to treat your dry eye? Schedule an appointment with Loden Vision Centers in Nashville, TN to get the dry eye relief you need!
