Dry eyes prevention and care

Dry eye is a condition where the ducts within the eyelids that produce tears, dry up. Tears are very essential for the proper functioning of the eyes, because they provide lubrication for the eyelids to glide over the eye ball and help to keep it moist. This condition can lead to lower resolution of vision and in some cases can cause severe damage to the eye ball itself, not to mention the added risks of performing daily activities with bad eyesight.

If you have dry eyes, your body is telling you that you are pushing it beyond its limits, and it is a common indicator for lifestyle diseases. Dr Rohit Shetty, neuro-ophthalmologist and the Vice chairman of Narayana Netralaya says ‘something as simple as a change in posture while working on a computer for long hours could be the reason for dry eyes.’ He warns, that they are an early indicator for hyper or hypothyroidism. If you are suffering from dry eyes, getting a routine health checkup might be the best thing to do.

The most common reason is our work or work culture. This means spending long hours in the day in front of the computer, without any breaks. According to Dr Rohit Shetty, ‘eyes were not really meant to see pixilated images, so a constant exposure to them can harm your eyes’. Another factor is your all-round health, if you are diabetic, hypertensive, or are on antipsychotic drugs, the possibility of suffering from dry eyes increases. Apart from this other habits like smoking, drinking, not having adequate sleep could make the symptoms of dry eyes worse.

These are tips to prevent dry eyes:

1.    Take regular breaks while working on the computer

2.    Maintain a good posture when reading, looking at the computer screen

3.    Use rewetting drops at the end of the day

4.    Get regular eye checkup.

5.    If dry eyes persist get a complete health checkup, to check for any other disease conditions.

6.    Dry eyes can be easily prevented; a good tip would be to use lubricating drops about half an hour before you leave office. This will give relief to your eye and restore vision at the end of the day.