Tips To Winterize Your Eyes (NAPSA)—Most of us know about protecting our skin from winter’s cold and dry weather, but our eyes are just as vulnerable to the changing weather. Extreme cold temperatures, wind and low humidity can lead to the feeling of constantly having sand in your eyes, itchiness, red- ness, blurred vision or sensitivity to light. These signs are often symptoms of dry eye, a disease affecting an estimated 20 million Americans.’ Dr. Marguerite McDonald, a cornea/refractive/anterior segment specialist with the Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island and a clinical professor of ophthalmology at NYU School of Medicine in New York, says that during winter months, men and women can guard against dry eye symptoms at home, at work and whentraveling by following these simple tips: e Tip No. 1: Keep moisture in and smoke out of your home and your eyes—Invest in a home humidifier and use it every time you turn on the heat. Doing so will help prevent dry eye symptoms. Avoid direct contact with hot air from heaters, fire- places and smoke because these can be especially aggravating to eyes. Eye CareTips e Use a humidifier in your home wheneveryoufurn the heat on. Avoid direct contact with dry, hot air from heaters. Take breaks at work. Too muchtime in frontof the computer could lead to dry eye. Drink plenty of water, especially during air travel. If you experience dry eye or are using artificial tears several times a day, visit your eye doctor, who can properly diagnose chronic dry eye and, if appropriate, may recommend prescription therapies. @ e Tip No. 2: Take blinking breaks at work—Eyes become especially vulnerable at the office during the colder months due to overhead vents blasting hot air.’ Additionally, too much timein front of the computer screen can lead to dry eye symptoms year-round, as the normal blink rate of 10-15 times per minute drops to four to six times per minute.’ To minimize symptoms at your desk, remember to blink regularly when staring at the computer screen and give your eyes breaks by keeping them closed a few seconds at a time throughout the day. A bottle of artificial tears, kept next to your desktop computer, can be used as needed to relieve symptoms. Tip No. 3: Keep hydrated inside and out when traveling— The air in planes is drying and dehydrating, so consider using lubricating drops while on the plane. Whentraveling by car, remember that your car heating vents can also dry out eyes, so avoid having them point directly at your face. When traveling to a higher altitude where the humidity drops, ask your hotel concierge for a room humidifier. When you're on the go, always keep your body and your eyes hydrated by drinking plenty of water. e Tip No. 4: Relief over the counter and at your doctor’s office—Mild dry eye symptoms triggered by dry weather, wind and heating vents can often be reduced by using artificial tears, such as REFRESH TEARS, available at a drugstore. If you experience dry eye or are usingartificial tears several times a day, visit your eye doctor, who can properly diagnose chronic dry eye and, if appropri- ate, may recommendprescription therapies. For more information, visit www.dryeye.com. 1. Market Scope. Report on the Global Dry Eye Market. St. Louis, Mo.: Market Scope, July 2004. 2. Aging Eye Times. Artificial Tears. Available at http://www.agingeye.net/dryeyes/dryeyesinformation.php. Accessed March 7, 2006. 3. Blehm C, Vishnu S, Khattak A. Computer vision syndrome: a review. Surv Ophthalmol. 2005. May-June; 50(3):253-62. Marks owned by Allergan,Inc.
