In today’s article, I would like to talk about three effective
treatments that you can do at home to treat dry eye disease.
You may have heard about many different types of dry eyes treatments such as
eyedrops both the ones that are available over-the-counter and the ones
available by prescription.
treatments that you can do at home to treat dry eye disease.
You may have heard about many different types of dry eyes treatments such as
eyedrops both the ones that are available over-the-counter and the ones
available by prescription.
Some other treatments that you can get at the doctor’s office. But if you
adopt the three home treatments that I mentioned in this article and do
consistently, you should notice a significant improvement if you have mild
to moderate dry eyes disease.
adopt the three home treatments that I mentioned in this article and do
consistently, you should notice a significant improvement if you have mild
to moderate dry eyes disease.
The treatments in this post are based on my own clinical experience. You
may have already been using some of the treatments for dry eyes I mentioned
in this article. But you still feel your eyes get irritated, red, and
tired.
may have already been using some of the treatments for dry eyes I mentioned
in this article. But you still feel your eyes get irritated, red, and
tired.
After reading this article you may find the products you have been using or
how you are using them may not be correct for you. I will also be writing a
more in-depth article about the mechanism of dry eye disease and different
types of dry eyes.
how you are using them may not be correct for you. I will also be writing a
more in-depth article about the mechanism of dry eye disease and different
types of dry eyes.
3 Best Treatment for Dry Eyes at Home
Treatment number one artificial tears you may be thinking. I have been
using over-the-counter dry eye drops many times a day but my eyes are still
dry and irritated. But which type of over-the-counter eye drops are you
using? and how many times a day are you using them?
using over-the-counter dry eye drops many times a day but my eyes are still
dry and irritated. But which type of over-the-counter eye drops are you
using? and how many times a day are you using them?
Because using the right type of over-the-counter artificial tear eye drops
will help to replenish the tear film on the surface of our eyes. But using
the wrong ones can cause damage to the surface of the eye instead of helping
to improve dry eyes.
will help to replenish the tear film on the surface of our eyes. But using
the wrong ones can cause damage to the surface of the eye instead of helping
to improve dry eyes.
The tear film contains three different layers that are lipid layer, aqueous
layer, and mucin layer. A good dry eye drop can help replenish and improve
all three layers of the tear film. The over-the-counter artificial tears eye
drops I recommended to most people to improve the health of all three layers
of the tear film is refresh digital.
layer, and mucin layer. A good dry eye drop can help replenish and improve
all three layers of the tear film. The over-the-counter artificial tears eye
drops I recommended to most people to improve the health of all three layers
of the tear film is refresh digital.
1. Refresh Digital Eye drop
Refresh digital artificial tears eye drops containing castor oil which is a
natural ingredient derived from castor beans. It targets the lipid layer of
the tear film by reducing evaporation of the tear film and extending the
effectiveness of the artificial tears.
natural ingredient derived from castor beans. It targets the lipid layer of
the tear film by reducing evaporation of the tear film and extending the
effectiveness of the artificial tears.
In addition to the active ingredients of CMC and glycerin, an additional
active ingredient in refresh digital is a polysorbate. Polysorbate can help
blend the oil component and the water-soluble component of the artificial
tears to make the eye drops more soluble and easily spread across the
surface of the eyes.
active ingredient in refresh digital is a polysorbate. Polysorbate can help
blend the oil component and the water-soluble component of the artificial
tears to make the eye drops more soluble and easily spread across the
surface of the eyes.
It is very important to use the preservative-free version of refresh
digital eye drops whenever possible. Because there are special cells on the
surface of the eyes called “goblet cells“. These special cells can be
damaged when exposed to an excessive amount of preservatives in eye drops
over a long period of time resulting in less healthy mucin in the tear
film.
digital eye drops whenever possible. Because there are special cells on the
surface of the eyes called “goblet cells“. These special cells can be
damaged when exposed to an excessive amount of preservatives in eye drops
over a long period of time resulting in less healthy mucin in the tear
film.
The goblet cells secrete the innermost layer of the tear film-the mucin
layer. The mucin layer of the tear film stabilizes the tear film and
decreases the surface tension. It allows the aqueous layer of the tear film
to spread evenly over the surface of the eye and protects the surface of the
eye from damage.
layer. The mucin layer of the tear film stabilizes the tear film and
decreases the surface tension. It allows the aqueous layer of the tear film
to spread evenly over the surface of the eye and protects the surface of the
eye from damage.
Typically if you are using artificial tears eye drops more than four times
a day or if you use eye drops while wearing contact lenses. I highly
recommended avoiding preservatives in eye drops by using a preservative-free
artificial tear eye drop. The preservative-free refresh digital eye drops
come in single-use vials which can be costly and inconvenient.
a day or if you use eye drops while wearing contact lenses. I highly
recommended avoiding preservatives in eye drops by using a preservative-free
artificial tear eye drop. The preservative-free refresh digital eye drops
come in single-use vials which can be costly and inconvenient.
A good alternative is optase dry eye intense drops. It is preservative-free
and comes in a multidose bottle. It contains sodium hyaluronate and 0.2%
glycerin. I have been using the optase eye drops for the last few weeks and
found the lubrication effect of the drop to be long-lasting.
and comes in a multidose bottle. It contains sodium hyaluronate and 0.2%
glycerin. I have been using the optase eye drops for the last few weeks and
found the lubrication effect of the drop to be long-lasting.
2. Warm Compresses
This treatment mainly targets the lipid layer of the tear film. The lipid
layer of the tear film is very important in preventing tears from
evaporating too fast. The lipid layer of the tear film is the outermost
layer. If your eyes feel dry and irritated shortly after applying
over-the-counter eye drops or you feel like you need to put in eye drops
over and over again.
layer of the tear film is very important in preventing tears from
evaporating too fast. The lipid layer of the tear film is the outermost
layer. If your eyes feel dry and irritated shortly after applying
over-the-counter eye drops or you feel like you need to put in eye drops
over and over again.
The lipid layer of your tear film is likely not very healthy. The lipid
layer of the tear film is secreted by the meibomian glands located in both
upper and lower eyelids. If the meibomian glands are clogged or not working
or the gland oil contains too many inflammatory particles. The aqueous layer
of the tear film underneath secreted by the tears glands will not remain on
the cornea for long enough to lubricate or moisturize the eyes.
layer of the tear film is secreted by the meibomian glands located in both
upper and lower eyelids. If the meibomian glands are clogged or not working
or the gland oil contains too many inflammatory particles. The aqueous layer
of the tear film underneath secreted by the tears glands will not remain on
the cornea for long enough to lubricate or moisturize the eyes.
One effective treatment you can do at home to open up the oil glands is
warm compresses. You may already be doing warm compresses at home but have
not found it to be very effective. You may not have been doing them
correctly. The key to getting the benefit of warm compresses is to keep the
heat over your closed eyelids for 5 to 10 minutes.
warm compresses. You may already be doing warm compresses at home but have
not found it to be very effective. You may not have been doing them
correctly. The key to getting the benefit of warm compresses is to keep the
heat over your closed eyelids for 5 to 10 minutes.
The method of using a washcloth soaked with hot water often does not
provide long enough heat to the eyelids and you will need to rewarm the
washcloth a few times during each warm compress session.
provide long enough heat to the eyelids and you will need to rewarm the
washcloth a few times during each warm compress session.
Heatable eye masks are designed to provide more consistent and
longer-lasting heat to the meibomian glands to help release the oil from the
glands into the tear film. I typically recommend doing warm compresses once
or twice a day, depending on the severity of your dry eye symptoms. You can
microwave the Bruder mask for 20 seconds and it will stay hot for 20
minutes.
longer-lasting heat to the meibomian glands to help release the oil from the
glands into the tear film. I typically recommend doing warm compresses once
or twice a day, depending on the severity of your dry eye symptoms. You can
microwave the Bruder mask for 20 seconds and it will stay hot for 20
minutes.
3. Omega-3 Oil Supplements
The lipid layer of the tear film can also be affected by unhealthy gland
oil secreted by the meibomian glands. This is typically due to increased
inflammatory particles in the tear film. In this case, it is important to
modulate and restore the health of the meibomian glands and their oil. This
is where omega-3 supplements can come into play.
oil secreted by the meibomian glands. This is typically due to increased
inflammatory particles in the tear film. In this case, it is important to
modulate and restore the health of the meibomian glands and their oil. This
is where omega-3 supplements can come into play.
Because omega-3 supplements are not prescription medication and are not
regulated by the FDA. Their dosage and composition may vary greatly. Please
remember to always consult with your doctor before taking any high-dose
omega-3 supplements to make sure that they are safe and right for you. In
this post, I have mentioned three easy-to-do dry eye treatments that you can
do at home.
regulated by the FDA. Their dosage and composition may vary greatly. Please
remember to always consult with your doctor before taking any high-dose
omega-3 supplements to make sure that they are safe and right for you. In
this post, I have mentioned three easy-to-do dry eye treatments that you can
do at home.
There are also other more invasive and advanced treatment options that
require a prescription and are typically reserved for more severe dry eyes
cases. It is important to remember there is no one size fits all treatment
protocol for everyone.
require a prescription and are typically reserved for more severe dry eyes
cases. It is important to remember there is no one size fits all treatment
protocol for everyone.
In my clinical practice, I prescribe an individualized treatment protocol
for each patient based on their individual situation and I tailor their
treatment plan based on their response to each treatment.
for each patient based on their individual situation and I tailor their
treatment plan based on their response to each treatment.
Thank you for staying with me throughout this article. As I promised at the
beginning of the post, I would like to share with you the single most
important component of any dry eye treatment. The most important thing that
you can do to ensure that your dry eye treatment is effective is to be
consistent.
beginning of the post, I would like to share with you the single most
important component of any dry eye treatment. The most important thing that
you can do to ensure that your dry eye treatment is effective is to be
consistent.
If you only apply eye drops or do dry eye treatments when you are
experiencing symptoms such as redness, soreness, or irritation, the
treatment effect will not be long-lasting. when you adopt any or all of the
three treatments and do them consistently on a daily basis. The treatments
will act as preventive measures to help prevent you from getting dry eye
symptoms.
experiencing symptoms such as redness, soreness, or irritation, the
treatment effect will not be long-lasting. when you adopt any or all of the
three treatments and do them consistently on a daily basis. The treatments
will act as preventive measures to help prevent you from getting dry eye
symptoms.
I often recommend that my patients with dry eye disease use artificial tear
eye drop 3 to 4 times a day on a regular basis, and do warm compresses, and
take omega-3 supplements daily. If you feel your eyes are still irritated or
sometimes have blurry vision, despite using over-the-counter eye drops and
other at-home treatments that I mentioned in this post.
eye drop 3 to 4 times a day on a regular basis, and do warm compresses, and
take omega-3 supplements daily. If you feel your eyes are still irritated or
sometimes have blurry vision, despite using over-the-counter eye drops and
other at-home treatments that I mentioned in this post.
It is important to have a full eye exam and talk to your eye doctor about
what other treatment options might be right for you.
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