Table of contents:
- The difference between dry eyes and allergies
- Dry eyes
- Allergy
- How to deal with dry eyes according to the season
- Dry season
- 1. Shed artificial tears
- 2. Eat omega-3 fatty acids
- 3. Compressing the eye
- Rainy season
- 1. Clean your eyes regularly
- 2. Avoid splashing water
- 3. Don't rub your eyes
It must be very uncomfortable to have dry eyes. You will experience dry eyes when the tear production is too low or the quality is poor. If left untreated, this condition can lead to infection and damage to the eye. For that, you need to find out various ways to deal with dry eyes in each season.
The difference between dry eyes and allergies
Seasonal allergies can cause a variety of symptoms similar to those of chronic dry eye. For that, you need to know how to tell when your eyes are really dry and when you actually experience allergy symptoms. That way, you can determine how to treat dry eyes according to your own condition.
Dry eyes
As mentioned earlier, dry eye occurs when the eye doesn't produce enough tears or produces tears of poor quality. This condition can occur in certain situations such as on an airplane, in an air-conditioned room, while riding a bicycle, and after staring at a computer screen for several hours.
These are the various symptoms that appear when you experience dry eyes.
- Stinging, stinging, burning, or itching sensation in the eye.
- So it's easy to be glare.
- Red eye.
- Feels like something is stuck in the eye that makes it uncomfortable.
- Having trouble wearing contact lenses.
- Watery eyes, in response to dry eye irritation.
- Blurred vision and tired eyes.
Allergy
Allergies can occur in the eyes and the symptoms are similar to dry eyes. However, what distinguishes it is the presence of itching accompanied by a burning sensation in the eye. In addition, when allergic, the eyes will also be watery and red. Generally, allergies are caused by various things such as:
- Drug side effects
- Hormone therapy for women
- LASIK surgery
- Long-term use of contact lenses
- Side effects of diseases that filter the immune system such as lupus and rheumatism
- Eyelid infection (blepharitis)
- Not completely blinking after eyelid surgery
How to deal with dry eyes according to the season
Both the dry season and the rainy season can cause dry eyes. Here are various ways to deal with dry eyes according to the season it occurs.
Dry season
Quoted from Healthline, the dry season or summer is the best time for your eyes. The reason is, the researchers saw the fact that in the summer the incidence and risk of dry eye decreases. Most likely this is due to warmer air, which helps keep your eyes moisturized. To treat dry eyes in the dry season, you only need home remedies such as:
1. Shed artificial tears
You can buy artificial tears over the counter at pharmacies. Use every eye feels dry or 3-4 hours. However, make sure to choose a preservative-free product so that it is safe to use a fairly frequent period of time.
2. Eat omega-3 fatty acids
You can treat mild dry eye symptoms by eating foods with omega-3 fatty acids. Examples are salmon, sardines, anchovies and catfish. Consume it regularly every day to get maximum benefits.
3. Compressing the eye
You can moisturize dry eyes by placing a warm compress on the eye. This is done to release oil in the glands of your eyelids and help improve the quality of your tears. Also, wash your lids with a clean washcloth and warm water.
Rainy season
Compared to the dry season, the rainy season is more likely to experience various eye problems, including dry eyes. Rain water and water splashes are usually the starting causes. Here are various ways to deal with dry eyes in the rainy season.
1. Clean your eyes regularly
The first thing you need to do is maintain regular eye hygiene. Try to wash it with cold water 3 to 4 times a day. Washing it with cold water helps remove germs lodged in the eyes due to rain splashes.
2. Avoid splashing water
Even though the rainwater that falls from the sky is quite clean, you need to be careful if the rainwater that falls into your eyes comes from trees or tiles because it is definitely contaminated by pollutants.
If you accidentally get splashed with dirty water, for example when riding a motorbike, wash immediately with clean, plain water and mild soap and dry your eyes. Apart from that, rainwater that gets into your eyes can also open the tear glands which make your eyes dry.
3. Don't rub your eyes
Rubbing your eyes with dirty hands after being exposed to the rain can make germs and dirt get into the eyes. As a result, besides making them dry, this can also increase the risk of infection.
For that, make sure you have cleaned your hands before using them to rub. Or you can blink your eyes until it feels more comfortable. If your eyes are too dry, you can also apply soothing eye drops.