In the office of an eye care specialist, many non-routine visits are the cause of the same culprits. Some conditions are simply annoying while others present a real hazard to your vision. Here is what you should know about four common eye problems.
Dry Eyes
A miserable eye care problem, dry eyes may burn, itch and feel like they are on fire. There are various reasons for dry eyes including allergies, wind, pollution, certain drugs, dry air, some medical conditions or simply age. Workers with heavy computer use may develop dry eye, since less frequent blinking occurs and females may be more prone to dry eye than males. Treatment for dry eye may include antibiotics, artificial tears (only as recommended by your eye doctor), procedures to modify your tear ducts or a lubricating daily eye-insert.
Foreign Particles
Whether it is an errant eyelash or construction debris, having something in your eye is definitely something to cry about. Should you experience this you must be very careful when dealing with the issue. Rubbing your eyes can scratch your cornea — a serious eye care incident that may easily result in vision loss. With clean hands, flush the eye with sterile saline until the debris is washed away and follow up with your eye doctor. If a flush does not help, keep your eye gently closed and have someone drive you to an emergency eye care professional as quickly as possible.
Sty
This painful condition is the result of a swollen or infected gland in your eyelid that looks like a raised and red lump. A sty can be painful and cause the eye to swell, perhaps completely closed. For many people, a hot compress on the eye may relieve the problem. If that method fails, you may need antibiotics from your eye doctor.
Eye Infection
Pink eye is a very common (and quite contagious) type of eye infection. Schools and work environments are incubators for the spread of this irritating infection. Eye infections may be fungal, bacterial, or viral and treatment is different for each type. Change your contacts as scheduled and never touch your eyes with unwashed hands.
Preventing eye care issues is often very easy. Use protective eyewear when needed for work, sports and home chores. Get help for an eye incident right away to prevent permanent damage. Talk to your optometrist for more tips on preventing eye problems.
