In Las Vegas, dry eye is a whole different ball game. Nevada has the lowest humidity in the country, and that arid climate can exacerbate symptoms of any form of dry eye.
Luckily, the dry eye counselors at Center For Sight are experts in figuring out the root cause of your dry eyes and recommending treatments to bring you relief. The best way to seek relief for your itchy, watery eyes is to schedule a consultation.
Let’s explore the differences between occasional, seasonal, and chronic dry eye and relevant solutions.
From chronic dry eye to allergies: how to spot the difference
Occasional dry eye affects nearly everyone from time to time, whether it’s from too much screen time or a sunny day spent in nature. In spring, allergies can affect eyes by making them red or itchy. Many people also experience the more serious chronic dry eye, which can interfere with comfort at work or doing hobbies.
The main way to tell whether your dry eyes are caused by allergies or something more long term is to keep track of when you are feeling symptoms. Simply start to note when your eye feel driest, when you seem to be instinctively rubbing them, or when your eyes are bothering you so much it interferes with your daily life.
Your notes will come in handy when you visit with a dry eye specialist. Together, you can observe whether the symptoms are appearing exclusively when pollen levels are high or whether you are experiencing chronic levels of discomfort.
If your observations seem to indicate allergies or occasional dry eye, here are home remedies to help:
- Apply a warm compress to ease irritation of the eyelids and unclog healthy oils.
- Try to consciously blink more, especially when looking at screens.
- Stay hydrated.
- Turn on a humidifier and/or an air cleaner that filters dust and other particles.
- Use over-the-counter eye drops, but be careful. Avoid drops that take away redness because they can irritate your eyes even more over time.
Chronic dry eye solutions at Center For Sight
Dry eye happens when your eyes don’t produce the right quantity or quality of tears. In dry climates, like Las Vegas, the lack of humidity can interfere with the Meibomian glands to cause the most common type of dry eye — evaporative dry eye.
Chronic dry eye affects more than 100 million people across the world. At Center For Sight, we want to make such that those affected in our Las Vegas area aren’t muddling through, but are getting the long-term solutions they deserve.
When you come in for a dry eye consultation, one of our friendly counselors will perform a series of diagnostic tests to determine exactly what is affecting your unique eyes, so you won’t need to worry about finding a solution on your own.
Many patients are recommended LipiFlow, a treatment to increase the quality of tears. LipiFlow has been shown to give long term relief and boost a regular maintenance routine of drops.
Eye drops and prescription medications are also common solutions. Additionally, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), blinking exercises, punctal plugs, eyelid scrubs and warm compresses can be a part of the treatment plan.
Which solution is right for your chronic dry eye depends on the severity and cause. In fact, if you suspect you might have dry eye, it’s important to get it checked out because in rare cases it could be caused by a more serious underlying condition.
Center For Sight’s counselors are especially qualified to help you and your eyes feel comfortable year round in Las Vegas. Schedule a consultation with our specialists at centerforsightlv.com/appointments/.
