9 Tips to Soothe Dry, Irritated Eyes Throughout the Day
March 27, 2024
Are you on the go all the time? If you are like most people, your days are packed! Between work, family, friends, and hobbies, it can feel like you never get a spare moment to yourself.
But if you have dry, irritated eyes, it can be challenging to maintain your busy schedule. They can make your vision uncomfortable and affect your clear eyesight.
While dry eyes can be caused by a concerning medical condition called dry eye syndrome, they are more often the result of your environment and lifestyle choices. Keep reading for 9 tips to soothe dry, irritated eyes throughout your day and get the relief you need!
1. Keep Your Eyes Moist
Keeping your eyes moist with eye drops is one the best and easiest ways to keep them comfortable throughout the day. If you already use eye drops to soothe dry eyes, you may have to use them more frequently in winter.
While over-the-counter eye drops are usually very effective, your eye doctor at Eyes of York can also prescribe prescription eye drops. Prescription eye drops often contain more advanced moisturizing ingredients than drugstore versions.
These eye drops can help replenish moisture that your eyes are lacking and may not be able to produce on their own.
2. Use a Humidifier
Setting up a humidifier is an easy way to combat dry air irritating your eyes. If you have dry eyes, it is best to have humidifiers where you spend the most time, which is likely your house and workplace.
At home, rooms that you and your family use the most, including the living room and bedrooms, are the best places to place a humidifier. If you often experience dry, irritated eyes at work, consider getting a small personal humidifier for your work area.
A desktop humidifier only takes up a little space but can provide much-needed relief for dry eyes. You can find one that plugs into your computer.
3. Stay Fully Hydrated
Your eyes are 98% water, so keeping yourself hydrated is vital to maintaining optimal eye moisture. Drinking lots of water daily is good for staying healthy and ensuring your eyes are healthy and hydrated.
Pay close attention to how much water you consume throughout the day to prevent your eyes from becoming dry and irritated. While the recommended daily amount of water intake can vary by individual, most healthcare providers recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water per day. If you drink enough water, your eyes should start feeling hydrated over time.
4. Limit Your Consumption of Caffeine and Alcohol
Both caffeine and alcohol are highly dehydrating. They are diuretics, which flush fluids from your body when you consume them.
Caffeine and alcohol's dehydrating effects can cause headaches, upset stomachs, and dry eyes. Avoiding or limiting your intake of beverages that contain either of these ingredients can help maintain your eyes' moisture levels.
5. Develop Healthy Screen Habits
If the prolonged use of electronic screens causes dry eyes, developing healthy screen habits can provide relief. Limiting your time in front of a screen and taking frequent breaks are two good habits to adopt.
Another good habit to develop is observation of the 20-20-20 rule. To follow the 20-20-20 rule, look away from your screen every 20 minutes and focus on an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
Doing this helps give your eyes a much-needed break. While you're following the 20-20-20 rule, you can take a moment to use eye drops or artificial tears if your eyes are feeling dry or irritated.
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6. Protect Your Eyes from the Elements
Protect your eyes when spending time outdoors to prevent dryness and irritation. Windy or smoky conditions and exposure to sunlight can cause the tear film on your eye to evaporate more quickly.
Avoiding areas prone to windy or smoky conditions and always wearing sunglasses that block UV light are good ways to prevent dry, irritated eyes. Spending time enjoying the outdoors doesn't have to mean dry eyes when you take steps to protect them.
Any sunglasses you wear outdoors should provide UVA and UVB protection from the sun's rays.
7. Limit Your Use of Contact Lenses
Wearing contact lenses for long periods can lead to dry, irritated eyes. This is uncomfortable and can put you at a high risk for eye infections or corneal abrasions.
You can soothe dry eyes caused by extended contact lens use by wearing your contacts less and your glasses more. If you don't love how you look in glasses, consider taking out your contacts and wearing your glasses when you are home for the day or on the weekend.
8. Consider Your Diet
While salty foods may taste good, overconsumption of foods with high levels of salt or sodium can lead to dry eyes. These foods, like caffeine and alcohol, can cause your body to become dehydrated.
Eating foods that keep your eyes healthy can soothe your dry, irritated eyes. At your next snack break, consider switching out that bag of chips for eye-friendly carrots or nutrient-rich blueberries.
Ensure you're getting enough omega-3 fatty acids by eating foods like fatty fish, nuts and seeds, and eggs.
9. Keep Your Air Purified
Common allergens like dust, pet dander, and pollen can irritate your eyes. Even if you are not specifically allergic to anything, exposure to these allergens can cause your eyes to react, making them feel itchy or watery.
Using an air purifier can help relieve eyes that are irritated by removing the air-borne particulates that affect your eyes. When used with a high-grade filter, an air purifier can remove as much as 99% of the contaminants in the air.
Don't let dry, inflamed eyes ruin your day. Following these nine helpful tips can soothe your dry, irritated eyes all day long!
If your eyes often feel dry and irritated, we can help! Stop letting dry eyes control your life. Take the next step by requesting an appointment at Eyes of York in York, PA, to discuss your dry eyes and how we can bring you the relief you need!