Dry Eye Syndrome; Lifestyle Tips.Some common-sense solutions for keeping eyes moistAll moisture tends to evaporate when exposed to air and certain climate conditions. To preserve as much of your eyes' natural moisture as possible, the Mayo Clinics suggests that you slow evaporation with these simple precautions: Don't direct hair dryers, car heaters, air conditioners or fans toward your eyes. Wear glasses on windy days and goggles while swimming. Keep your home humidity between 30 percent and 50 percent. In winter a humidifier humidifier, n a device for adding moisture to dry air inside the home to help counteract the reduction in saliva that often occurs as a result of hyposalivation, radiation therapy, or other treatments that cause xerostomia. can add moisture to dry indoor air. Remember to blink. Consciously blinking repeatedly helps spread your own tears more evenly. Take an inventory of the medicines you take Some medications, even those that you buy without a prescription, can make your eyes feel dryer. Culprits include antihistamines, nasal decongestants, tranquilizers, and anti-depressant drugs. People with dry eye should let their health care providers know all the medications they are taking, since some of them may intensify dry eye symptoms. Don't forget to blink. Americans are spending more and more time in front of their computer screens, staring intently into the monitor. With so much information so readily available, we sometimes simply can't tare tare (târ), name sometimes used as a synonym for any vetch, most frequently for the common vetch. The tare of the Scriptures, a weed of grainfields and considered a seed of evil, is thought to have been the unrelated darnel (see rye grass). away from it all. Don't become blindly absorbed. Take time to blink. Try to remember to blink once every five to six seconds. Pay attention to your diet. It's important not only to keep your eyes lubricated, but your body as well. Certain foods and drinks dehydrate dehydrate /de·hy·drate/ (de-hi´drat) to remove water from (a compound, the body, etc.). de·hy·drate v. 1. To remove water from; make anhydrous. 2. your body-and your eyes. Chocolate, colas, coffee and tea all contain caffeine, which robs your body of moisture. To keep fluids flowing, drink plenty of water (eight 8-ounce glasses daily, if possible). Practice good eye care habits. Practicing good eye care habits helps not only with dry eye, but your overall eye health. Some things to do: wear sunglasses with maximum ultraviolet protection (block 99-100 percent of UV-A and UV-B); eat a low-fat diet that includes at least five fruits and vegetables; wear proper eye safety equipment when doing eye hazardous activities at work and home or when participating in eye hazardous sports. References "State-of-the-art management of dry eye syndrome dry eye syndrome Conjunctivitis arida, keratitis sicca, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, xerophthalmia Medtalk Dryness of eyes, often due to ↓ tear secretion Clinical Dry, greasy, thickened and focally denuded cornea, which may progress to keratomalacia, corneal ." The American Academy of Opthalmology. http://www.aao.org "Dry Eyes." The Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com. Accessed July 2007. "Keratoconjunctivitis sicca." Merck. 2007. http://www.merck.com. Accessed July 2007. "Dry Eye Syndrome." St. Luke's Clinic. http://www.stlukeseye.com. Accessed July 2007. Bensinger, R, MD, FAAO FAAO, n.pr See Fellow of the American Academy of Osteopathy. , spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and chief of ophthalmology at Swedish Hospital, Seattle, WA. Direct interview. Nov. 6, 2000. "Dry Eye Syndromes, Your Questions Answered." The Schepens Eye Institute, Harvard Medical School. http://www.eri.harvard.edu. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Fact Sheet: The Cornea and Corneal Disease." National Eye Institute. http://www.nei.nih.gov. June 2001. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Frequently Asked Questions About Dry Eye." Prevent Blindness America. http://www.preventblindness.org. Updated May 2003. Accessed Sept. 2003. "Hydroxypropyl Cellulose (Ophthalmic)." Medlineplus Health Information, National Library of Medicine. Updated Sept. 2002. http://www.nlm.nih.gov. Accessed Sept. 2002. Petrauskas, JL, MSPH. "Digging in the Ocular Desert." EyeNet Magazine Online. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.aao.org. July 2000. Accessed Sept. 2003. "Studies Show Promise for Drug to Treat Dry Eye Syndrome." American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.medem.com. News release April 11, 2000. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Dry Eye Syndrome" EyeMDLink. Updated Oct. 2001. http://www.eyemdlink.com. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Conjunctival con·junc·ti·val adj. Relating to the conjunctiva. conjunctival pertaining to or emanating from conjunctiva. congenital conjunctival membrane Histologic Findings of Dry Eye and Non-Dry Eye Contact Lens Wearing Subjects" The CLAO Journal. Jan. 2001. http://www.clao.org. Accessed Sept. 2002. Cross WD et al. "Clinical and Economic Implications of Topical Cyclosporin A for the Treatment of Dry Eye." Managed Care Interface. Vol. 15 (9): 44-9. Sept. 2002. Sullivan DA et al. "Androgen Deficiency, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, and Evaporative Dry Eye." Annals New York Academy of Sciences The New York Academy of Sciences is the third oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, non-profit organization with more than 25,000 members in 140 countries, the Academy’s mission is to advance understanding of science and technology. . Vol. 966: 211-22. June 2002. "LASIK LASIK laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis. LA·SIK n. Eye surgery in which the surface of the cornea is reshaped using a laser, performed to correct certain refractive disorders such as myopia. Safe, Effective in Patients With Dry Eyes" Medscape Medical News. Aug. 16, 2002. http://www.medscape.com. Accessed Sept. 2002. "Hormone Replacement Therapy Hormone Replacement Therapy Definition Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the use of synthetic or natural female hormones to make up for the decline or lack of natural hormones produced in a woman's body. and Dry Eye Syndrome" JAMA. Vol. 286 No. 17, Nov. 7, 2001. http://jama.ama-assn.org. Accessed Sept. 2002. "New Dry Eye Therapy Launched" Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation. 2003. http://www.sjogrens.com. Accessed Sept. 2003. Schaumberg DA, et al. "Prevalence of Dry Eye Syndrome Among US Women" Aug. 2003. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 136:2 : 318-326. Market Scope. Report on the Global Dry Eye Market. St. Louis, Mo: Market Scope, July 2004. "Dry Eye Fact Sheet." The Schepens Eye Institute, Harvard Medical School. http://www.theschepens.org. Accessed June 2006. Keywords: dry eye syndrome, moisture, blink |
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