artificial tears eye drops

TREATMENT OF DRY EYE

Are you having burning, gritty, foreign body sensation in your eyes with pain, itching, redness, blurred vision and sensitivity to light?  You may have dry eye.

Our eyes health depends upon the lubrication and moisture provided by the adequate production of tears. Tears are composed of water, oils, mucus, antibodies and special proteins. Water provides moisture, oil and mucus are responsible for lubrication and even spreading whereas antibodies and proteins for resistance against infection. When there is imbalance in the tear production with other causes like side effects of contact lenses, many allergies, estrogen deficiency, menopause and many other diseases and medications, you can have dry eye.

There are no treatments available which can completely cure dry eye. But it can be managed and you can be relieved from the symptoms of dry eye. First of all you need to consult your ophthalmologist to discuss your condition and find the best treatment for you. The treatment for dry eye includes both surgical and non-surgical methods.

The primary treatment for your dry eye can be artificial tear drops and ointments. These are easily available over the counter. You should keep one thing in mind, you may not get relief from one eye drop and you need to experiment to find the best for you. Please avoid the ones containing the preservatives as they can harm your eyes. If you are having chronic problem then you can go for ointment at night and always use them in spite of feeling well.

The next option you can go for is the use of Restasis. The regular use of this eye drop helps your eyes to produce their own tears at increased rate. You should use it twice the day and discontinue if you are having eye infection. These eye drops are FDA approved and safe for your eyes.

If you think that the problem of dry eye is caused by some environmental factors, you can reduce it by wearing sunglasses to prevent exposure to wind, dust and sun. Try to take sunglasses close fitted or have side seal frames that can prevent dust to enter your eyes.  Humidifiers can also help to add moisture to air indoors which keeps your mucous membrane away from drying.

Sometimes medicine like topical steroids can benefit you but they should be prescribed by your ophthalmologist and in correct doses. But if you don’t get relief from medications then punctal plugs are solution for your dry eye. Punctal plugs are used to prevent tears from draining into tear ducts by inserting them on puncta. There are temporary and permanent methods of punctual occlusion. They are made up of silicone or thermally reactive material.

In addition to above surgical and non-surgical treatments for your dry eye you should drink lots of water and add some nutritional supplements in your diet which can help in the treatment of symptoms of dry eye.

About the Author

Emmanuel Villarosa contributes to many free article directories and is a paid staff writer for FreeArticleDigest.com, where you can find articles on subjects ranging from wood file cabinets to flat file storage. You may republish this article free of charge, anywhere online, as long as all keyword links are left intact.

Is it ok to use Artificial Tears (for dry eyes) on a regular basis ?

I was told (on Yahoo Answers, actually) that it’s NOT ok to use the other type of eye drops that remove redness regularly because it constricts the blood vessels.

Yes, you’re right, one thing is Visine for red eyes,that very bad for eyes i believe, and other a drops for dryness like Bausch & Lomb or Alcon.

Part 3 – LACRISERT® Clinical and Safety Profiles