Sensible Help for Dry Eyes
April 25th, 2007 by Cindy Hebbard
There are several prescription and over-the-counter products on the market for dry eyes. The fact of the matter is that if we take care of our eyes, they won’t dry out and we will likely not need to risk the side effects of chemical medications. Try any of these simple solutions.
Drink enough water. Most people don’t drink enough water every day. Measure the water you’re drinking in an average day and see whether or not you do. Use a one cup, one pint or one quart glass or water bottle and count the ounces (or ml) of water you consume. We should drink half our weight in ounces; so a 150 pound person should be drinking 75 ounces or about nine glasses daily.
Get enough omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fats are crucial for healthy eyes, producing a protective coating and predominantly making up the retina. People with low omega 3 fats not only have poor heart and brain function, but poorer eye health as well.
Blink more. When we stare at a computer screen or the highway for long periods of time, our eyes dry out. Blinking is cleansing and moisture restoring for the eyes. If you work or play on the computer for any length of time, be sure to blink often. You need not stop what you’re doing. Just do a few seconds of rapid blinking every minute or two, and attempt to blink at more regular intervals as you work.
And if you drive, be aware of blinking every few seconds. Once you get in the habit, you will likely keep the new pattern going. This conscious practice will also support your staying more alert. When you stop to stretch your legs, do the exaggerated blinking as suggested above.
Homeopathic Eye Drops. If you need a little extra moisture for your eyes, but don’t want to use medication, check out the homeopathic products from Similisan. They produce some excellent and very safe eye drops, including Dry Eye Relief and Computer Eye Relief. These wonderful products may even be used by children and babies, if necessary, as Similasan products are safe for all ages when used as directed.
Eat dark leafy greens and sea vegetables. Very high in minerals and vitamins, greens and sea veggies support our eye health. Kale, collards, arugula, watercress, etc are the healthy dark greens that provide us with numerous minerals. Lettuce, even romaine and curly leaf, etc, doesn’t make the grade, so please seek out the old fashioned ‘real’ dark leafy greens.
Sea vegetables are the most nutritious foods on our vital Earth. Sneak a bit into everything you cook or purchase a great sea vegetable cookbook to find delicious new ways to include these nutrition powerhouses in your meal planning. Maine Coast Sea Vegetables also make wonderful shakers. Just shake a bit onto every meal as if it were salt. It’s low in sodium and give foods a delicious salty flavor. The Maine Coast Sea Vegetable folks also make great corn chips with sea veggies baked right in! You can find them at most real health food stores (not the pill shops). Kids love them!
Reduce soda intake. Drinking soda throws our blood minerals off and minerals are important to eye health. Very high in phosphorus, soda can leach important minerals from the body, affecting eyes, bones, the brain, digestion and any of our organs.
Smile! Smiling also helps to moisten our eyes. Now you’ll have happier, healthier eyes!
Thanks for the reminder of all of the things that I know to do and forget to do to prevent my eyes from getting so dry that they hurt. I haven’t been drinking enough water lately.
I was suffering from chronic dry eyes, after much restasis, eye drops, lubricants, etc, etc. I began to see a common denominator, it was corn products, like doritos, cheeto puffs, pop corn, corn puffs for breakfast, I was eating too much. After I stopped and replace them with potaoes chips, french fries, etc. I noticed a significant improvement in my horrible condition. If you suffer from this condition, try to suspend corn products for a week and see if you notice a huge difference. Hope this helps!
Yes, food sensitivities can cause or contribute to eye, sinus, gut, lung and many other seemingly unrelated health problems. For you it may be corn (and likely other foods, as well), but there are dozens, likely even hundreds, of foods that the body can overreact to.
It is probably better to heal the body and eat whole, nutritious foods than to substitute other bad foods, such as french fries, etc, for the offending food that one is sensitive to. Good luck to you.