Taking good care of eyes is one of the most important things. Yet people do the least for it. Eventually, as they grow older, the issues start becoming serious. One such common problem to deal with is when eyes are only dry at night. There is nothing to be pancaking about as long as the right action is taken. This issue is called dry eyes disease and is a problem that usually arises as the tears are not able to offer enough lubrication that eyes require. There can be fewer amounts of tears which could be unstable due to different reasons. If the situation gets worse, it is important to speak with an expert optometric who shall offer immediate treatment.
What exactly are dry eyes?
Not many people are really aware of the reasons when eyes are only dry at night. Certainly, there are some precautionary measures that need to be taken for fighting against this problem. But one needs to also have clarity about its root cause. The eyes come in three layers of tear film. Talking of which mucus, fatty oils, and aqueous fluid are the layers that are present. The problem of dry eyes can occur when there is a less read production or not tear evaporation which would misbalance the layers and cause irritation and inflammation.
For example, if the oil layer is not created properly, it will lead to having watery eyes along with being dry. The people working at theeyepros.com can explain how the mucus layer needs to be present in a proper manner otherwise tears shall not last long enough. This leads to the issue of having eyes only dry at night. Getting this checked out as soon as one notices any symptoms is necessary.
Risk factors to not ignore:
There are some factors that an individual may experience when eyes are only dry at night.
- More than 50 years of age: The production of the tears would start fading as the person gets older.
- A woman: this is a common issue among women since they often deal with hormonal changes especially post using birth control pills or during their pregnancy.
- Eating a diet with less vitamin A: This could be a concern because it is not just the eyes but also the rest of the body that requires it the most. Vitamin A food like broccoli, carrots, and liver and less omega 3 fatty acids should be consumed on a regular basis.
- Surgery history: If the person ever had undergone a refractive surgery or worn contact lenses in the past can experience this issue.
Common causes for dry eyes or lack of tear production are:
- Aging
- Eyelid glands Inflammation
- Menopause
- Certain medications
- Dry air
- Smoke
- Thyroid issues
- Rheumatoid arthritis
If the person notices eyes are only dry at night then there could be some factors that must be contributing to it such as:
- Excess screen timing:
If the person spends too much time in front of the smartphone or computer then it can reduce the blinking rate. This can cause strain to the eye and even result in dry eyes.
- Nocturnal lagophthalmos:
This is another condition where people don’t rely on just closing their eyelids at night. The eyelids seem to be close but will not be able to create a seal that can take care of the moisture in a better way.
- More usage of contact lenses:
If the person has been wearing lenses for quite a long time, then chances are high that person would notice eyes are only dry at night.
- Dry eyes at night Treatments:
People who have early morning or night dry eyes concerns should speak with an optimistic attitude. They shall offer the prescription remedies or over-the-counter like:
- Artificial tears:
These are the OTC eye drops that need to be applied throughout the day. It shall protect the dry eyes. It can be used more than 4 times a day provided the eyes are still getting dried. Look for the brand that creates such drops without any preservatives.
- Ointment:
The ointment is suggested when eyes are only dry at night so it can give eyes needed moisture. It can also offer better relief as compared to regular eye drops. Initially, it may result in a blurry vision but after some time, as the ointment starts getting shocked by the eyes, the blurry effects vanish.
Prescribed medication:
If the optometric diagnosis the problem of dry eyes, then there are some medicines that can be suggested to improve the tear production or reduce inflammation like:
- Antibiotics
- Corticosteroids
- Xiidra
- Lifitegrast
- Lacrisert
- Cevimeline
- Hydroxypropyl cellulose eye inserts
Prevention tips to be followed:
Once the visit to the doctor is made to discuss more on the problem of eyes getting dry at night, there will of course be the right treatment provided. But along with it, there are some preventive tips that should be followed too. This includes:
- The right use of a humidifier can help to add some moisture to the air of the room. This can be effective more during nighttime and help people with dry eyes problem
- Lessing the screen impact can also make a good change. Those spending time working on the PC need to take some breaks for mental and physical wellbeing. Besides, blinking eyes often is important during such screen time.
- Eyewear should be changed especially for those who have been wearing contact lenses for quite a long time.
- It is also important to wash off the bed on a regular basis. This will reduce the risk of allergens such as pet hair and dust which could irritate the eyes.
- If eyes are only dry at night, then this is a serious problem. It is always good for the whole body to stay hydrated especially during this rough patch so eyes can foundation well. But if the condition is getting worse even after the precautionary measures and teardrops are not helping then it is better to seek optometric advice.
Conclusion:
When eyes are only dry at night, often people use any random eye drop considering it will work. Since dry eyes could cause discomfort, it is important to take care of them. Failing to take the right action can lead to further damage and even information on the surface of the eye. Often the person with such a problem can experience dry eyes in different scenarios such as during the air condition room also in an airplane or while riding a bike. Thankfully there are treatments that can give eyes better comfort. In order to be effective such treatments however would require a healthy change in the lifestyle and regular eye drops that optometric suggests.
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