Of all the ills that can befall mankind, you wouldn’t think that something as seemingly trivial as dry eyes could really bother you. Until you’re a sufferer that is! Dry eyes are the symptom most presented as an eye health issue, with patients describing uncomfortable, gritty, sore dry eyes as a real problem.

Our lifestyles today exacerbate this condition. Air conditioning, offices full of electrical equipment, long hours spent at work all make the discomfort worse. These circumstances make us blink less, and increase evaporation of the lubricating layer of tears that bathe our eyes. Tears do more than get you sympathy! They wash the eyes, sterilise the cornea, and keep the ocular surfaces comfortably moist.

Dry eyes can affect contact lens wearers by decreasing the time they can tolerate their lenses, or even discourage them from wearing lenses altogether. Dry eye treatment usually takes the form of specialised drops, in different formats for contact wearers or for use without lenses. The drops work in several ways. They soothe pain and inflammation, as well as creating a smooth film over the mucus membrane of the eye. This lubricates and locks in the natural moisture that would otherwise be lost.

Most sufferers find that their symptoms worsen towards the evening, as tears evaporate through the day. Taking regular breaks from the screen and remembering to blink as often as possible helps, but visit your GP or Optician if the symptoms really bother you. Drops are easy to use and quickly relieve the problem.