Taking Care of Your Eyes!

This is your 1st issue in a 4-part e-mail series on dry eyes. This message was independently written by RealAge and contains third-party advertisements. Content in the e-mail or on Web pages linked from the e-mail is not endorsed by the third-party advertiser except those links clearly labeled so. Read more about the high editorial standards of RealAge. Understanding Chronic Dry Eye It can be frustrating when you feel like your eyes have just quit making their own tears. If you've taken over the job with a steady supply of eye drops, you're not alone. Chronic dry eye is a frequent and nagging health concern for many people, especially with age, when dry eyes become more common. From our advertiser: Your dry eyes may be caused by a medical condition. Fill out this short Dry Eye Quiz to find out. Why Eyes Get Dry Chronic dry eye happens when either your eyes aren't producing enough tears (called aqueous tear-deficient dry eye) or when your tears don't contain enough oil and evaporate too quickly (called evaporative dry eye). And chronically dry eyes need attention and treatment to protect them from damage. If your eyes regularly sting or burn, are red and irritated, or feel gritty, as if there is debris in your eye, you could have chronic dry eye. (Read up on the full set of risk factors and symptoms of chronic dry eye, also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca.) Help for Dry Eye Chronic dry eye is more likely in women than in men and becomes more common with age. (Find out what other eye changes happen with age.) But if you've been struggling with dry eyes, there could be lots of different reasons. Here are just a few examples of factors that could be to blame: Medications: Decongestants, antihistamines, tranquilizers, antidepressants, birth control, medications for Parkinson's, and some blood pressure meds can make eyes dry. Hormones: Hormonal fluctuations, such as those experienced during pregnancy, after menopause, or while using hormone replacement therapy, could contribute to dry eye. Habits: Do you keep your eyes locked on the computer or TV for long stretches of time? Spend lots of time sitting in front of the fan in the summer? Live in a smoky home? All of these things can dry your eyes. (Try these tips for making computer work easier on your eyes.) Surgery: Many people experience some degree of dry eye for a few months after having laser eye surgery. (Could LASIK be right for you? Find out whether you qualify with this quick article.) Medical conditions: Diseases that affect the immune system (lupus, Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis), the thyroid, or the skin, glands, or membranes in and around the eyes may come with dry eye symptoms. Why Tears Matter Chronic dry eye isn't something you should just "live with," because tears aren't only about making eyes more comfortable. They also nourish your eyes and provide a protective buffer against irritants from the outside world, flushing out dirt, debris, and bacteria. So don't let it go untreated, because chronic dryness can make your eyes more vulnerable. It can also cause the cornea to become inflamed, which over time may lead to painful ulcers and leave scars on the cornea. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms. (Going to get a checkup? Here are the top questions you should ask your eye doc.) Coming Up . . . Look for the next issue in this series for information on easy ways you can care for your eyes and help them feel refreshed. From our advertiser: Are your eyes dry and scratchy? Learn about treatment options.  Send this issue to a friend.	> SERIES ARCHIVE 01. Understanding Chronic Dry Eye 02. Tips for Refreshing Your Eyes 03. Eyes Still Dry? More Options 04. Top 5 Choices for Eye Health Advertisement Dry Eyes causing you to use artificial tears? Learn about possible long-term effects.
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