{"id":4509,"date":"2026-06-07T13:49:52","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T11:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/?p=4509"},"modified":"2026-08-07T13:51:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T11:51:44","slug":"dry-eyes-a-common-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/2026\/06\/dry-eyes-a-common-problem\/","title":{"rendered":"DRY EYES: A COMMON PROBLEM"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do your eyes feel itchy or scratchy? Are they red and burning? Do you feel like you have something in your eyes? Your contact lenses do not feel as comfortable as before? Are you particularly sensitive to bright light? Are your eyes constantly watering? Is your vision blurred or fluctuating, especially after prolonged screen use? While these symptoms may indicate a variety of eye conditions, it is possible that you are experiencing the symptoms of dry eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dry eye disease is a common condition that occurs when the tears are unable to provide adequate lubrication for the eyes, either because the eyes do not produce enough tears, or because the tears are of poor quality or evaporate too quickly. The symptoms can range from mild discomfort to more serious visual disturbance which can significantly affect quality of life. Beyond the physical symptoms, dry eye can impact overall well-being. Chronic discomfort may lead to fatigue, reduced productivity and difficulty concentrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dry eyes are caused by a variety of factors that disrupt the healthy tear film which is essential for maintaining the health of the eye\u2019s surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tears are made up of three layers: fatty oils, aqueous fluid and mucus. This combination keeps the surface of the eyes lubricated, smooth and clear. An imbalance in any of these layers can lead to dry eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As people get older, tear production naturally decreases. Hormonal changes, particularly in women during menopause can further reduce tear production. Medical conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid disorders can interfere with tear production, and certain medications, including antihistamines, antidepressants, and blood pressure drugs, may also reduce tear volume. A deficiency of vitamin A may be a contributing factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Prolonged exposure to air conditioning, heating, wind, or dry climates can increase tear evaporation. In today\u2019s digital world, excessive screen time is a major contributor as people tend to blink less frequently when using computers or smartphones, which leads to faster tear evaporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another important cause is meibomian gland dysfunction, which causes the oil-producing glands in the eyelids to become blocked or inflamed leading to poor quality tears that evaporate too quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excessive eye watering, a typical symptom of dry eyes, may seem contradictory, but rather than being the production of good quality tears, it is the body\u2019s natural response to the irritation of dry eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Treatment of dry eye disease depends on the underlying cause and severity of the condition. The aim of treatment is to relieve symptoms and reduce the chance of damage to the surface of the eyes. Artificial tears are often the first line of treatment. These lubricating eye drops, which are available over the counter, help supplement natural tears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ointments can be used at night if symptoms affect sleep or are worse in the morning. In more severe cases, anti-inflammatory eye drops or medications that stimulate tear production may be prescribed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Procedures such as punctal plugs, which block tear drainage, can help retain moisture on the eye surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your optometrist will recommend the most appropriate option for your specific symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Natural remedies for dry eyes focus on increasing moisture, reducing inflammation and soothing discomfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include warm compresses to help unblock oil glands, compresses of cooled tea bags to relieve irritation, cleaning the eyelashes with mild soap, increasing intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, maintaining overall hydration, using humidifiers in home and work spaces, and protecting the eyes from wind and dry air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key to dry eye management is to be conscious of blinking more frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dry eye is more than just a minor inconvenience. It is a condition that can affect vision, comfort, and quality of life. Fortunately, with a combination of lifestyle adjustments and medical treatments, most people can manage their symptoms effectively and maintain healthy, comfortable eyes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do your eyes feel itchy or scratchy? Are they red and burning? Do you feel like you have something in your eyes? Your contact lenses do not feel as comfortable as before? Are you particularly sensitive to bright light? Are your eyes constantly watering? Is your vision blurred or fluctuating, especially after prolonged screen use? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4121,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,57],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-4509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-44","category-2026-06"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4509"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4509\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4512,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4509\/revisions\/4512"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4509"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eyemark.co.za\/vision-newsletters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=4509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}