Do your eyes feel dry and sore in spring? Learn a few tricks from me to help you say goodbye to the "dry eye crisis"!

Dry eye syndrome can cause discomfort at the mildest level, i.e. dryness, pain, itching, foreign body sensation, burning pain, sticky secretions, fear of wind, fear of light, and sensitivity to external stimuli. This damage can cause corneal and conjunctival lesions over time and affect vision.

Don’t worry! Huaihua Aier Eye Hospital ’s “Spring Eye Care Secrets” will help you quickly “put out the fire”!

Why do eyes tend to get upset in spring?

✅ Spring is windy and dry, and tears evaporate faster;
✅ Increased allergens such as pollen and dust irritate the ocular surface;

✅ Coupled with the increased ultraviolet rays, eyes are more easily fatigued!

When these factors combine, dry eye syndrome will come knocking on your door!

Why do we get dry eyes?

In simple terms, there is a lack of tears on the surface of the eyes.

This tear water is composed of three layers of substances: "oil on the surface", "water in the middle" and "protein at the bottom".

That is, the lipid layer, the aqueous layer and the mucin layer.

It is thanks to this oil-in-water composition that our eyes can be fully protected.

5 Types of Dry Eye Syndrome

There are five types of dry eye, depending on the deficiency:

1. Water deficiency type: lack of water

2. Lipid deficiency: lack of oil

3. Abnormal mucin type: protein deficiency

4. Abnormal tear dynamics: evaporation too fast

5. Hybrid: A combination of the above four types

Symptoms of dry eyes

Different people experience dry eyes in different ways, but generally speaking, they feel:

Dry eyes, itchy eyes, stinging, burning sensation, foreign body sensation, red eyes, increased secretions, photophobia, tearing, visual fatigue, and fluctuating or decreased vision.

People who are susceptible to dry eyes

1. Concentrating on looking at computers, mobile phones, reading, writing, etc. for a long time will lead to fewer blinks and excessive tear evaporation.

2. Sitting in an air-conditioned room for a long time will reduce the air humidity and cause excessive tear evaporation.

3. Severe air pollution, such as smoke, dust, wind and sand, will affect the quality and quantity of tears.

4. Drug-induced dry eyes: long-term use of eye drops containing preservatives reduces the number of goblet cells, etc.

5. Dry eyes caused by trauma, surgery or disease.

Note: Blurred vision is also a symptom of dry eyes.

In the outpatient clinic, many people come to ask the doctor that they always feel that their eyes are blurred after a while, and they have to close their eyes for a while to feel better, especially after a good night's sleep. However, the hospital examination did not find any major problems. What is going on? In fact, this is the manifestation of dry eye syndrome, but many people think that it does not affect their life and work, so they do not pay attention to it.

To relieve dry eyes, try these 8 tips!

1. Reduce the time spent looking at electronic products

Go to bed before 10pm every night and don’t stay up late!

2. Massage and hot compress

Apply a hot towel at about 40 degrees to your eyelids. After 5 minutes of hot compress, massage for 2-3 minutes. Do this 2-3 times a day to relax your eyes and effectively relieve dry eyes.

3. Maintain indoor humidity

Place a basin of water in the room, or use a good quality humidifier.

4. Do not wear contact lenses for too long

Wear it no more than 8 hours a day, and remember to take it off before going to bed at night!

5. Diet adjustment

Eat more foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E (such as carrots, blueberries, nuts), as well as deep-sea fish (to supplement Omega-3)...

6. Wind and sun protection

Wear goggles when going out to reduce the stimulation of wind and sand; wear sunglasses to block ultraviolet rays.

7. Pay attention to eyelid hygiene

Keep your eyelids clean and avoid rubbing your eyes excessively.

8. Seek medical attention promptly

If you have persistent dry eye symptoms, you must seek medical attention promptly to prevent long-term meibomian gland blockage from leading to meibomian gland atrophy and causing irreversible consequences.

Dry eye syndrome should be detected, intervened and treated early. In daily life, we should learn to take the initiative to reduce the burden on our eyes, ensure adequate sleep, avoid looking at electronic screens for a long time, blink to promote tear secretion, ensure the humidity of the surrounding environment, massage and hot compress to relax the eyes, pay attention to eye hygiene, and eat a balanced diet to prevent dry eye syndrome.

If symptoms such as redness, pain or fatigue in the eyes persist, you should seek medical attention immediately. For severe dry eye syndrome, appropriate treatment can be given according to the cause of the dry eye!

Source: Huaihua Aier Eye Hospital

Follow @湖南医聊 to get more health science information!

(Edited by ZS)