Dear Savvy Living,

"What all can be done to combat dry eye?"


Dear Bonnie,

While there's currently no cure for dry eye, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your symptoms under control. Here's what you should know.

Dry Eyes

Itching, burning, and even gritty-feeling eyes are among the most common reasons for visits to the eye doctor - and the older you get, the more likely you are to have these symptoms. The condition, known as dry eye syndrome, affects millions of Americans, most of who are over the age of 40. But discomfort isn't the only issue. Light sensitivity and blurred or fluctuating vision are common symptoms too, and worse yet, dry eyes are more likely to get scratched or infected, which could damage your vision permanently.

Why it Happens

People get dry eye syndrome because they either don't produce enough tears to keep their eyes properly lubricated, or because they produce poor quality tears. In some cases dry eye is caused by other medical conditions (such as diabetes, allergies, rosacea, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Sjogren's syndrome) and treating these conditions could alleviate the problem. But for other sufferers it can be caused by age (tear production tends to diminish as you age), eye conditions, eyelid problems, certain medications, environmental factors and even LASIK surgery. Dry eye syndrome is also more common in women, especially after menopause.

Remedies

The first step in dealing with dry eyes is to check your lifestyle and surroundings for factors that might be contributing to the problem and make adjustments.

• Air Check: Furnaces in the winter and air conditioning in the summer dry out the air and can worsen dry eyes. So buy a humidifier and keep your home humidity between 30 and 50 percent. Also keep your eyes away from blowing air - oscillating and ceiling fans, air vents - which add to the problem.


• Blink: When you're reading, watching television, or using a computer, take frequent breaks because these activities cause you to blink less often.


• Avoid Irritants: Avoid smoke-filled places and if you swim, wear goggles to cut down exposure to chemicals.


• Outside Protection: When you go outdoors, use sunglasses that wrap around the sides of your face. This will help you protect yourself better from sun, glare, wind, and dust.


• Check Your Meds: Antihistamines and decongestants, diuretics, beta-blockers, antidepressants and over-the-counter sleeping pills can all cause dry eyes. If you're taking any of these, ask your doctor about alternatives.


• Omega-3s: Studies show that eating more fish and other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (or take a supplement) helps some people.


• Warm Compresses: For a soothing, temporary treatment, place damp warm compresses on your eyes (use cold compresses if your dryness is due to allergies or rosacea) and gently massage the edges of your eyelids.

Treatments

If changing your environment and habits doesn't do the trick, there are a variety of over-the-counter eye lubricant drops (artificial tears) that can help. However some lubricants contain preservatives that may irritate your eyes. If you experience a lot of burning, try another product or opt for a nonpreservative formula, but don't buy eye drops that are strictly made to "get the red out." They won't help and may even aggravate your condition. Also available are over-the-counter gel lubricants that stay on your eye longer, and lid scrubs for those with eyelid inflammation.

If the over-the-counter remedies don't help, see your eye doctor for other options such as prescription steroid eye drops or a prescription medication called Restasis. If these don't help, your doctor may suggest punctal plugs - small blockers inserted into the tear ducts to slow the drainage of eye moisture.

And finally, if all remedies and treatments fail, two other possible solutions include specially designed goggles (see www.panoptx.com) that form a moisture chamber around the eye, and the Boston Scleral Lens (see www.bostonsight.org) which is a custom-fitted prosthetic device that creates a reservoir over the cornea.

Savvy Tips: For more information see www.dryeyezone.com, and www.agingeye.net - click on "Dry Eyes."

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Senior" book. The articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.