Aloha Eye Clinic

The Cause of Dry Eye Symptoms 

Typically, dry eye symptoms occur when there are issues with the tear glands. The water produced by your glands stops, creating dry eye symptoms. When this takes place, the cause of dry eye can be due to the following:

The tears evaporate too quickly.

The glands do not make enough tears for the eyes to maintain wetness.

The glands do not function properly to keep the eyes adequately moist.

Additionally, other factors may contribute to dry eyes. These causes include:

Smoking or vaping

Windy or dry environments

Health problems such as autoimmune disorders, thyroid issues, or diabetes

Staring at screens for too long

Certain medications for depression, glaucoma, allergies, pain, and blood pressure

To receive help in determining the underlying cause of your dry eyes, speak with your doctor.   

While you can select various options for reading glasses at a drug store, prescription glasses can be made to address more specific eye-related issues than generic options. To better your eyesight, it is important to use professional, prescription corrective lenses.

Reading glasses can sometimes be of use for small tasks. The reading glasses you can select at the store can help with reading, but may not address other age-related vision issues. Additionally, individuals who choose generic glasses may experience headaches from eye strain. To improve your eyesight, consider prescription glasses from professionals at an eye care clinic.

According to the National Eye Institute, there are three types of contact lenses: soft lenses and hard lenses, both available in daily or extended wear. Additionally, there are other benefits to contact lenses, including:

Contacts are easier to wear when participating in sports or events in which you move around quickly

Contacts do not fog up the way glasses do

Complications can be prevented by disinfecting and storing contact lenses correctly

Cons of contact lenses include:

A more rigorous cleaning compared to glasses

Risk of eye infections

Risk of dry eye or corneal irritation

Cleaning, disinfecting, and storing maintenance

The benefits of prescription glasses consist of:

Easy to wear

Protection from the elements

Easy to clean and store

You can select your own style of glasses

Customizable lenses

Cons of prescription glasses are:

Higher cost if damaged or lost

They can be easily scratched

They may be uncomfortable

They can fog up

As you can see, there is a wide range of pros and cons to consider when eye support is needed. 

Your daily habits can influence cataract development more than you might realize. Smoking, for instance, affects blood circulation throughout your body, including your eyes. Poor circulation can accelerate the breakdown of proteins in your lens, leading to the development of cataracts earlier and their progression to occur faster. 

Heavy alcohol consumption has also been shown to increase the risk of cataracts. The exact mechanism isn’t fully understood, but researchers believe alcohol may interfere with the eye’s ability to maintain healthy lens proteins. 

Patients with diabetes can be at risk for developing problems in the retina (back of the eye). Diabetic retinopathy is one of the key complications of diabetes that we look for in a diabetic eye exam. This condition can result in swelling and/or bleeding in the back of the eye. If you currently have diabetes, it is important to have regular diabetic eye exams because complications can begin before you experience symptoms. By catching diabetic retinopathy early, you can receive timely effective treatment to help preserve your vision.