Just like the skin, it is also important to keep the eyes moisturized and hydrated. It’s because, without enough moisture, your eyes can become dry and uncomfortable. In addition to comfort, the moisture on the surface of your eye also protects it. The outer layer of the surface of the cornea is the tear film. It is the moisture-laden surface of the eye. The stability of that moist depends on the correct functioning of three interconnected layers.
Why do the eyes become dry sometimes? Well, lacrimal glands feed the tear film that keeps the eye moist. And the tear film is salty. Therefore, when too much of the tear film evaporates, the saltiness increases, making the eyes burn and sting, which are common symptoms of dry eye syndrome. If you’ve been experiencing dry eyes often and are looking for ways on how to prevent this from happening, you’re in the right place. Today, we are giving you tips on how to keep your eyes moisturized.
Natural Ways of Keeping Your Eyes Moisturized
Here are some of the natural ways that you can do to keep your eyes moisturized:
Proper Diet and Nutrition
Based on research, some of the important nutrients that have been found helpful in keeping the eyes moisturized include omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D. High intake of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce dry eye syndrome symptoms significantly, including tear break-up time, inflammation, and osmolarity.
It is also important to eat green leafy vegetables and avoid too much sugar or artificial sweeteners. It’s because excess sugar in the diet results in too much un-utilizable glucose in the eyes. When you consume more than 11 teaspoons of sugar each day, you can suffer from dry eye syndrome. Keep in mind that a can of soda already contains about 9 teaspoons of sugar. Processed and refined foods like ketchup, cereals, and salad dressings also contain high amounts of sugar.
It’s also better to reduce the consumption of toxic fats, which are found in red meat, dairy products, fried foods, and man-made fats. It’s because these fats interfere with the proper metabolism of essential fatty acids in the body, hence, causing dry eye syndrome.
The things you can do is to take a high-quality probiotic to replenish the healthy flora in your gut, drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, and drink fresh juices. All of these can contribute to having well-moisturized eyes.
Exercise
Exercising regularly also has positive effects on the eyes. You can do a simple brisk walk daily if you do not like extreme exercises. Based on a study done in Japan, an increase in the level of physical activity can also be an effective intervention for the prevention or treatment of dry eye disease.
Humidifier
It is also helpful to use a humidifier to keep your eyes moisturized. This is great, especially during the winter, to keep the air from drying out at home or at work.
Remember to Blink
When your work involves spending time using the computer, you need to remember to blink more often. It’s because working at the computer can decrease the blink rate sharply. According to researchers, blinking completely is very important. Therefore, when you blink, make sure that you are closing the eyelids completely. It’s because it makes a big difference in reducing the symptoms of dry eye and as well as computer eye syndrome.
Massage Your Upper and Lower Lids
Massaging your upper and lower lids twice each day can help stimulate the tear glands, making your eyes moisturized. This can be done better when you are in a warm shower.
Conventional Ways of Keeping Your Eyes Moisturized
There are also ways on how you can keep your eyes moisturized apart from the natural methods. Here are some of them:
Apply Artificial Tears
Using artificial tears can also keep the eyes moisturized. It can bring real relief from dry eye syndrome, which is caused by a lack of natural tears. Tear supplements are usually available over the counter, and they come in different forms, such as gels, drops, gel inserts, and ointments.
Here are some of the artificial tears you can checkout to moisturize your eyes:
- Thera Tears Drops for Dry Eyes
- Refresh Tears Lubricant Eye Drops
- Geri-Care Artificial Lubricating Tears
- Visine All-Day Comfort Eye Drops
- Wal-Mart Sterile Artificial Tears
Apply Eye Moisturizers
There are times when the skin around the eyes become dry, dark, or puffy. To prevent and treat these issues, you also need to keep that part moisturized. Applying eye moisturizers is one of the best ways to remove the dry, dark, and puffy areas around the eye.
Here are some of the best eye moisturizers you can try:
- Cetaphil Hydrating Eye Gel Cream
- Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Gel Eye Cream
- Lily Ana Naturals Eye Cream Moisturizer
- Pure Biology Premium Total Eye Cream Serum
- L’Oréal Paris Eye Cream Moisturizer
- La Roche Posay Toleriane Ultra Eye Cream Moisturizer
- Olay Deep Hydrating Eye Gel
- CeraVe Eye Repair Cream
Wear Wraparound Shades
The eyes usually become dry when outdoors. Therefore, when going out, wearing sunglasses with wraparound frames can help in shielding your eyes from the sun and wind, which can make the tears evaporate fast. This way, the sunglasses will trap the tears or moisture in your eyes, preventing them from getting dry.
Here are some of the best wraparound shades you can check out:
- Duco Wraparound Sunglasses
- Solergy Sunglasses Wraparound Polarized Sunglasses
- Gemgoo Wraparound Sunglasses
- Solarfun Polarized Wraparound Sunglasses
These are some of the best tips we can give on how you can keep your eyes moisturized. With these tips, you no longer need to worry about your eyes getting dry and itchy. Also, keeping your eyes moisturized is one of the ways for it to stay healthy.