Last Updated: March 27, 2023
Video: What can I do about dry eyes? | Dr. Mahnia Madan
Dry eyes can be irritating, affecting your quality of life, and decreasing work productivity.1 There are several lifestyle modifications that you can consider to reduce dry eye symptoms.
Your body needs water so maintaining proper hydration may help the body to produce adequate tears to keep the eyes moisturized to avoid dry eye symptoms.2 So perhaps grab a cup of water while you read the rest of this article.
Environmental changes can also help alleviate dry eye symptoms. When wind blows onto your eyes, it dries out the surface of the eye and causes tears to evaporate.2 so make sure there are no vents blowing onto your face directly in the car or next to your desk. You could also consider adding a humidifier and air purifier to your home and office.
It is very important to remember to take breaks from prolonged screen time, reading, and near work. On average, we blink about 17 times per minute.3 With activities that require concentration and the use of our eyes, like reading, our blink rate decreases to about 4 times per minute. This results in less tears, leading to dry eye symptoms. Consider the 20-20-20 rule when taking breaks, so that after 20 minutes of screen time/reading/work, take a 20 second break to blink, and look at a distant target at least 20 feet away.
In addition to making some simple lifestyle modifications, make sure you have your eyes examined on a regular basis. For more information about dry eye, book an appointment with your optometrist.
References
- Stapleton F et al. TFOS DEWS II epidemiology report. Ocul Surf. 2017;15(3):334-365.
- Jones et al. TFOS DEWS II Management and therapy report. Ocul Surf. 2017;15(3):575-628.
- Bentivoglio AR. Analysis of blink rate patterns in normal subjects. J Mov Disord. 2004;12(6):1028-1034.
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