Dry eye houston,Dry eyes,Ophthalmology houston

Woman Eye Close Up Dramatic Dry Eye Concept

Dr. Stephen Slade, M.D., the founder of Slade & Baker Vision in Houston and member of the Refractive Surgery Council editorial advisory board was recently interviewed by the Refractive Surgery Council for an article that has been featured in Parade Magazine about home remedies for dry eye.

We wanted to share his findings and assessments with this topic with all of our patients and followers.

According to Dr. Slade, home remedies are actually an essential part of a dry eye treatment regimen since most dry eye care ends up being very dependent on what the patient decides to do at home.

Facts: Our tears are comprised of oils, water, and mucus.

If we are deficient in any or all of these components above, this can cause dry eye.  Ideally, patients should seek out an eye care professional and should really try to see a dry eye expert.

An eye doctor who focuses on dry eye disease can help a patient get the complete picture of what is going on and then map out an action plan to make things better.

A few of the home remedies Dr. Slade routinely prescribes to his patients to help them become comfortable and stay that way:

  1. What is your sleep situation?  Do you sleep directly under a ceiling fan or near an air conditioning vent?   Even though you may have your eyes closed, either of these can evaporate the tear film.  As crazy as it sounds, many patients don’t sleep with their eyes fully closed; it is not as uncommon as we would think.  A tiny opening can also contribute to dry eye.  Try to make sure you make an effort to sleep with your eyes completely closed.
  2. What do you eat?  Pay attention to your diet, specifically the fat content.  Oils and mucus are generated in and around our eyelids and they actually rely on fats and fatty acids for healthy production.  Nuts, avocado and salmon are all good examples of healthy fats and Dr. Slade often recommends that patients take supplements with an Omega 3 and Omega 6 blend to help!
  3. Care for your lash line.  That line where your eyelashes grow out of is where the glands are located that produce the oils we need for healthy tears.  These glands can get clogged.  Something as simple as a gentle scrubbing of your lids can be very effective.  How?  It’s simple. Just wet a wash rag with warm water and pour some diluted (tear-free) baby shampoo and gently scrub your eyelashes (back and forth) to help unclog those glands and also to help keep that area clean of any debris that could be irritating.
  4. Lower your Screen Time.  We have proven that Screen Time reduces Blink Time.  Blinking is very important for keeping the surface of our eyes both healthy and moist. Since screen time diminishes the amount of time we spend blinking, remember to take a break! Try to move around, close the ipad or device and give your eyes a rest! This can really help.
  5. DRINK WATER (last but not least).  Yep, we hear it a million times, and it may sound so simple, but if we keep up with our water intake throughout the day, it can make a dramatic difference in dry eye relief.

Dr. Slade strongly believes that under the advice and guidance of an eye doctor, the MORE a patient can do at home to help treat their dry eye symptoms, the better their symptoms are ultimately managed.

Dry eye specialists also offer many treatment options to help address the different causes of dry eye symptoms and home remedies can support all patients with dry eye in a large way!

To learn more about Dry Eye or the Dry Eye Treatments we provide here at Slade & Baker Vision, please visit our DRY EYE PAGE or call us at 713-626-5544 to schedule a dry eye evaluation today!