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Take Care of Your Eyes This Season

December 15, 2016Eye Associates Blog Eye Health

Winter is upon us, and for many, this means itchy dry eyes. It’s important to keep your eyes healthy, as good vision is one of the keys to preserving your quality of life now and in the years to come. Here’s what you can do to be good to your eyes amidst the dry air and chilly weather.

Add Moisture
While it makes you feel nice and toasty, your indoor heating system can also dry out your eyes, as it decreases the humidity levels in the room. This can lead to eye redness, itchiness, and overall discomfort. To find relief, try running the humidifier in your home or office to moisten the air. And use eye drops or artificial tears to help you lubricate, clean and keep your eyes hydrated.

Drink More Fluids
In the wintertime, it’s important to consume enough liquids to keep you hydrated. Otherwise, your body tries to conserve as much water as possible and can lead to a decrease in the production of tears. Drink plenty of water or opt for green tea. Not only does tea keep your skin healthy, it can help with a number of vision problems like cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and some types of glaucoma.

Care for Cosmetics
Before getting glammed up for the Christmas bash of the year, take a good look at your cosmetics, particularly your mascara, eye shadow and eye liner. Over time, these products can build up bacteria that, when transferred to your eyes, can lead to eye infections. Keep your cosmetics in a cool dry place, don’t use dried out mascara, throw away old makeup, and never share your eye cosmetics with others.

Protect Against UV Rays
When the sun reflects office or snow, UV rays can harm your eyes. Be sure to wear protective eyewear when you’re out and about. Choose sunglasses with 99% to 100% UVA and UVB protection, and as an additional defense, wear sunglasses that wrap around your eyes to guard your peripheral vision.

Get an Eye Exam
A regular eye exam plays a huge role in keeping your eyes healthy. Schedule regular vision screenings to help your doctor detect and treat any vision problems you may have before they become worse. Your eyes will thank you.

To learn more about proper eye care during the winter months, or for questions regarding our services, contact our office or call 208.342.5151 in Meridian or 208.459.0717 in Caldwell. We look forward to hearing from you!

Dry Climate Shouldn’t Equal Dry Eyes

November 15, 2016Eye Associates Blog Dry Eyes

In Idaho, the climate can be so dry at times that it’s like we’re in Death Valley. You’d think that in this climate everyone would have dry eyes and people in places like Miami would never deal with the problem.

Truth is, dry eye is an ocular disease and not a response to the humidity in a particular area. At The Eye Associates, we have extensive experience with dry eye and its treatment.

What is dry eye?

Since they’re exposed to the air, our eyes create a natural thin film of tears to combat the exposure. It is a continual process. This layer keeps the eyes from drying out and protects them from potential damage from dust, the wind, and other stuff in the environment. When a person’s body doesn’t produce enough tears to provide this protective layer, or when the tears produced are substandard quality, then the eyes become exposed to irritants in the environment.

Patients with dry eye experience irritation on the conjunctiva or a feeling of a slight stinging, burning, or itching. Because of their damage to the sensitive membranes in the eyes, if left untreated dry eyes can escalate into impaired vision.

What causes dry eye?

Dry eye is usually caused by the inability of the patient to produce enough tears to properly lubricate the eyes. This can happen when the lacrimal glands are impaired and cannot physically produce enough tears. This happens more frequently as patients age, when they are suffering from other medical conditions, or when decreased tear production is a side effect of a treatment regimen or medication.

Also, tears of subpar quality can be produced and lead to dry eye. To be effective, tears must be comprised of three significant layers: a water layer, oil layer, and a mucin layer. If any of these layers is missing or insufficient, the patient’s tears will not sufficiently protect the eye.

Treatment

Dry eye is the most common reason patients see their eye care professional, other than normal eye exams. It is estimated that 55 million Americans have dry eye. Treatment for dry eye with The Eye Associates team could include discontinuation of a drug being taken by the patient, once the reaction has been ascertained. It also could be found that the patient’s eyelids are overly small or they don’t blink correctly. In these cases, surgery may be needed. Finally, medications that stimulate lubrication of the eye may be prescribed.

Are your eyes itching, stinging, and burning? Call us at The Eye Associates in Meridian (208-342-5151) or Caldwell (208-459-0717) to schedule your appointment.

Do You Have Dry Eye Syndrome?

October 15, 2016Eye Associates Blog Dry Eyes

Dry eye syndrome (or simply dry eye) is caused when the surface of your eye is not sufficiently lubricated or when your tears are inconsistent and evaporate too quickly. You may also experience inflammation on the surface of your eye which, if left untreated, can cause pain, ulcers, corneal scars and vision problems.

What Causes Dry Eye?
There are several things that can cause dry eye, including:

Certain medications. Nasal decongestants, antihistamines, blood pressure medication, and anti-depressants are among the medications that contribute to dry eye.
Pregnancy. Dry eye is prevalent in pregnant women due to hormonal changes, particularly a drop in male hormones.
LASIK surgery patients. Dry eye can occur after you’ve had refractive surgery, and it can last anywhere from three to six months, or sometimes longer.
Vitamin deficiency. Vitamins are responsible for helping to make tears, so a lack of vitamins can increase the risk of dry eye, especially when it comes to vitamin A, folate and vitamin B-6.
Hormone replacement therapy. Women on HRT are more likely to have dry eye symptoms, more so in women who are taking estrogen only versus those who are taking both estrogen and progesterone.
Staring at a computer screen. Computer use can cause dry eye because you’re likely to blink less when looking at your screen for long periods of time.
Conjunctiva inflammation. When the membrane that lines your eyelid and covers part of your eye (called the conjunctiva) becomes inflamed, it’s called conjunctivitis, and dry eye is a symptom of this condition.

What You Can Do
To combat dry eye, consider the following treatments:

Over-the-counter artificial tears, gels or ointments
Eyewear that wraps around the face or with side shields
Humidifier to add moisture to the air
Air purifier to filter out dust and particles

If your dry eye is severe, it’s best to visit your eye doctor. He or she may prescribe eye medication or outpatient treatment to help your eyes produce more tears.
To learn more about detecting and treating dry eye or for questions regarding our services, contact our office or call 208.342.5151 in Meridian or 208.459.0717 in Caldwell. We look forward to hearing from you!