Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, ARNP, EdD

As I've been doing book talks for my LIVING WELL WITH MENOPAUSE BOOK, women have been asking me about dry eyes.

This is not a challenge I've had, but more than 8 million people in the US, mostly women, do suffer from dry eye syndrome.

What is dry eye syndrome?

Dry eye syndrome means you have eyes that...

*are light sensitive

*feel dry

*look red

*burn

*have excessive tearing (as the eyes try to compensate for the quality of the tear film)

*feel gritty

What causes dry eyes?

Dry eye syndrome is more likely if you...

*take hormones (HRT)

*have arthritis or another autoimmune disorder

*have a blocked tear duct

*use eye drops with preservatives in them

*eat a lot of animal meats and oils found in cooking and salad oils, eat fried foods, butter, dairy products, and/or margarine

What to do to reduce dry eyes

*eat less meat,fried foods, and dairy products, and stick to using olive oil

*eat more chunk white tuna (women who ate 5 servings of tuna---full of omega 6 fatty acids---a week reduced their risk of dry eye syndrome by 68% compared to those who ate tuna once a week!)

*eat more walnuts (has the type of omega 3 fatty acids that protect your eyes)

*wear wraparound sun goggles outdoors, or even sunglasses, to reduce evaporation of moisture

*reduce, replace, or avoid eye makeup (it thins out the oily layer of the tear film that keeps your eyes from becoming dehydrated and dry)

*whenever possible stop using medications that can make your eyes dry..

-Benadryl, Coricidin, atropine

-beta blockers such as Timoptic, Betoptic, Betagan, and Ocupress

-cancer medications such as methotrexate

-chlorthiazide

-codeine

-decongestant eye drops such as Visine, Murine, Prefrin, and Clear Eyes

-decongestants such as Sudafed

-diazepam

-morphine

-Patanol

-scopolamine

-tranquilizers such as Elavil and Valium

-artificial sweetener aspartame

-vitamin B3 (as a supplement)

*better position your computer so you look down at the monitor (to keep eyes moist)

*quit smoking and being around people who smoke (cigarette smoke dries your eyes)

*avoid smog and fumes

*blink your eyes regularly; it squeezes tears from the glands in your eyelids (when at the computer or staring at TV, remind yourself to blink every five seconds or so)

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This article is for information purposes only. For treatment, consult your health care practitioner.

Sources and Resources:

Relation between dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and clinically diagnosed dry eye syndrome in women, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October, 2005.

www.theschepens.org/dry_eye_fact_sheet.htm

Smart Medicine for Your Eyes, Dr. Jeffrey Anshel.