Your eyes might feel dry one day and be fine the next. Below you’ll find some other sources of eye discomfort that might seem like dry eye—but aren’t—and simple solutions for addressing them.
Pollen, mold, dust, pet dander, weather and seasonal factors can all cause your eyes to become inflamed. This can lead to other symptoms, such as:
What you can do:
The best defense for allergic eyes is to try to avoid the allergens that cause your symptoms altogether, but that’s not always possible. If you wear contacts, it may help to remove them and rinse your eyes with artificial tears if you are exposed to allergens. Blink® drops are not currently indicated for the treatment of allergies, but other over-the-counter or prescription treatments may be an option. Talk to your eye care professional about the best treatment for your allergies.
If you wear contacts and experience dry eye symptoms, a few things could be going on:
What you can do:
If you said yes to any of the questions above, start by making sure you’re adhering to the proper wear cycle of your lenses and practicing proper contact lens care. You can use Blink Contacts® Lubricating Eye Drops, or if you notice build up impacting clarity of vision, try Blink-N-Clean® Lens Drops. Consult your eye care practitioner, as there may be other determining factors, you may have a sensitivity to your contact lens material or using the wrong contact solution, and it’s worth discussing with your eye doctor.
Wearing a face mask is a good practice to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, you may experience increased feelings of dry eye. One of the reasons for that is when the air you breathe out while wearing a mask escapes upward toward your eyes. This causes the tears in your eyes to evaporate quicker in a similar way as if you were in a windy or dry environment.
What you can do:
If you’re feeling extra dryness or discomfort in your eyes when wearing a mask, here are a few tips:
Spending a long time doing any one thing—like watching TV, working on the computer, staring at your phone, or driving—can make your eyes feel strained, tired, or dry. Some symptoms include:
What you can do:
One of the simplest solutions for tired-feeling eyes is to be sure you give yourself breaks, no matter what you’re doing. Whether that means getting up from the computer, putting down your phone or book, or making regular rest stops while driving long distances. If your eyes are feeling dry, artificial tears can help.
Then blink 20 times to give your eyes an extra bit of care.
Find long-lasting relief that best fit your dry eyes or contacts.
View ProductsIf your eyes feel uncomfortable, or you have trouble seeing and the tips above haven’t helped, make an appointment with your eye doctor. No issue is too small to discuss, especially since your eyes are what connect you to the world.
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