Dry Eye Symptoms
Symptoms of dry eye can include:
- A sandy or gritty feeling
- Blurry vision (made worse when reading, computer, watching television, driving)
- Burning
- Discharge
- Eye fatigue
- Eye pain and/or headache
- Frequent blinking
- Heavy eyelids
- Itching
- Light-sensitivity
- Matteing or caking of the eyelashes (usually worse upon waking)
- Redness
- Scratchy or foreign-body sensation
- Tearing
- Watery eyes
Why Are My Eyes So Dry?
Do you spend a lot of time on your smartphone or laptop for work? Or maybe you have seasonal allergies and frequently find yourself reaching for your bottle of antihistamines. The truth is that there are as many triggers for dry eye as there are symptoms, many that would never cross our mind on most days. Some of the most common triggers are:
- Wearing contact lenses or having vision correction surgery.
- Excessive smartphone and digital device usage.
- Age and hormonal changes affecting tear production.
- Certain medications, such as antihistamines or blood pressure medication.
- Environmental factors such as sun, wind, or pollution.
Fortunately, many of these triggers are lifestyle based and can be mitigated with some preventative measures. Click here for a list of helpful tips!