What Causes Dryness And Burning Sensation In Eyes And How To Sooth Them Naturally?
Vision is a precious sense that we are gifted with. But, at times, our natural peepers that allow us to hold a vision gets dry with a burning sensation, making us immediately anxious that somehing wrong has entered the eyes. Foreign body sensation in the eye is one of the common complains that alerts people and brings them to the doctor. However, in a large number of cases, though, no foreign body is found on examination. Instead, the loss of moisture in the eye or inadequate production of tears has been found the prime cause of uneasiness, dryness, and burning sensation in the eye.
Give a read to identify the underlying factors for dry eyes and burning of the eye and also explore some easy to incorporate measures to reduce the dryness and protect the eyes.
What causes sudden dryness and burning sensation in the eyes?
Environmental causes:
- Infrequent or incomplete blinking mostly seen in people who watch movies frequently and work on computers or play video games for long hours.
- The hot and dry climate.
- Irritants, such as cigarette smoke, dust or chemical exposure.
- Any trauma to the eye (including burns)
Other prime factors:
- Medical conditions, such as dry eye syndrome, conjunctivitis, Sjogren’s syndrome, and Blepharitis cause dry eyes.
- Certain drugs including oral contraceptives, antidepressants, antihistamines, diuretics, and beta-blockers are known to cause dryness in the eyes.
- Some procedures like laser surgery, cataract surgery and use of contact lenses are known to cause dryness of the cornea.
- Allergy due to pollen, dust, mold, fragrances from burning incense, perfumes.
- Menopause is a physiological condition in women known to cause a dry and gritty sensation in the eyes.
Tips to soothe the burning and dryness of eyes naturally
A dry and burning sensation in eyes is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as redness, itching, and discharge. These can further lead to pain and inflammation of the eye. The most important part of the treatment in such cases is to aim for better tear production, maintain tear film volume or prevent excess loss of tears. This would help the eye recover from the symptoms faster. However, the underlying cause has to be immediately addressed to prevent recurrence of symptoms.
Some common measures that are likely to benefit for dry eye sufferers are:
- Boost the humidity of the air at home and at work by placing bowls of water around the room.
- Applying cold packs over the eye help relieve the burning sensation.
- Applying warm compresses to the eyes and gently washing the eyelids using baby shampoo also helps to improve the tear production and maintain tear-film volume.
- Contact lens users have to be careful about their hygiene and removing the lens before sleep.
- Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses, goggles, face masks, and other eye-wear that help reduce light sensitivity and risk of injury.
- Eat a well-balanced diet rich in Vitamin A.
- Get a regular eye check-up to look for common eye conditions and disorders.
If any medication is causing dry eyes, discuss with your doctor about alternatives.
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