Did you know that dry eyes can make your vision blurry? People who are on the computer all day long tend to get VDT (Visual Display Terminal) Syndrome. We blink less often when we are staring at a computer. Blinking brings in a fresh layer of tears and keeps vision clear. After a long day of computer work, your eyes may be tired or red. You may just feel like peeling off your contact lenses. There is hope.
Blinking more often will make your eyes feel less dry. Wearing glasses instead of contacts while working on a computer can help. Using artificial tears, not red eye relievers, will moisturize your eyes every few hours. Make sure there are no fans or air-conditioning vents blowing directly towards your face. Most people in Southern California have dry eyes.
Ergonomics are very important. By making sure the top of your computer screen is level with your eyes, you should be looking slightly down at the computer screen. This will reduce tear evaporation. The newer flat screen monitors are much more comfortable for our eyes because they reduce glare. Try to keep the level of the lighting on the computer level with the level of lighting in the room.
Eye glasses with good anti-reflective coatings will also eliminate the glare that we get from overhead fluorescent lights that can lead to dry eyes, blurry vision and discomfort. Taking breaks from staring at the screen and letting your eye muscles relax by looking far away out a window or down a hallway can be beneficial.
Certain vitamins may help with increasing the moisture in our eyes. Remember that vitamins are medications also and they do have side effects. Remember to ask your Optometrist or your Physician prior to starting any new vitamins or medications. New medicated drops are available to help create a healthier tear film on our eyes. Plugs that go into the eyelids can keep the tears from draining out of our eyes and into our nose and throat too quickly.
In some instances dry eyes can be a part of a disease process such as Sjogren’s Disease. In Sjogren’s Disease there is a combination of dry eye and dry mouth. Some patients also have Rheumatoid Arthritis that adds to the condition being worse. Many medications can lead to dry eyes like blood pressure medications or allergy medications.
Having your eye examinations yearly and checking your eye health is an important part of having healthy eyes. Remember to tell your eye doctor if you get tired, red, dry eyes often. Having dry eyes is very common and is treatable. Every person has a different lifestyle and requires a different treatment approach.
For more information, please call 20/20 Optometric Eye Care at 661-287-3939.