If you are experiencing dry eyes, there are different reasons why this could be happening to you. Fortunately, no matter the reason, there are treatments that can get tears back into your eyes again, such as making changes to your diet, and balancing hormones.

Symptoms of Dry Eye Syndrome

If you have temporary dry eyes, it can be due to lack of sleep, changes in the environment, contact lenses if you wear them, and more. If you have persistent symptoms, however, you should take them more seriously. Some of the symptoms you may notice include:

  • Stringy mucus
  • Blurring
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Increasingly tired eyes throughout the day
  • Tears running down your cheeks
  • Scratchy feeling
  • Itchiness

Causes of Dry Eye Syndrome

There are two reasons dry eyes develop: excessive evaporation of tears and not enough oil production.  If you have an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, arthritis, or diabetes, you may be more prone to this problem.

Below are other things that can contribute to dry eyes:

  • Computer work or reading
  • Eyes that are droopy
  • Allergy medication, birth control pills, beta-blockers, and other drugs.
  • LASIK eye surgery, because nerves are cut, which reduces blinking.
  • Diet that is poor in fatty acids
  • Living in dry environments

Hormonal Changes During Menopause

Hormonal changes in your body can affect your eyes, such as menopause. It has been found that estrogen plays a role in eye health. During menopause, estrogen levels go down, which causes fewer tears in the eyes. Because menopause causes this drying effect, seeing a doctor to restore the natural balance of hormones can help with this problem.

Omega-3

Adding omega-3 fatty acid to your diet may help with your dry eyes.  You can take fish oil or omega-3 supplements. You can also eat fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, or eat seeds and nuts to add this to your diet.  

This is a natural way to assist in tear stimulation, and helps to increase oil secretion. Adding this to your diet is much better than any temporary solutions you may try, such as using artificial tears or eye drops.

Besides omega-3, there are foods you can add to your diet for better eye health, such as spinach, strawberries, grapefruit, and more.

The best thing for you to do if you have dry eyes for long periods of time is to visit an eye care center. An eye doctor can determine what is causing the problem so you can take steps to correct it.

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