How to Properly Lubricate Your Vampire Eyes
Safely navigating the dreaded winter spike of dry eyes
As the temperature drops with the first seasonal freeze and the furnace and radiators crank up, I feel the familiar dry tickle in my throat and dreaded scratchy eyes. Sandpaper comes to mind.
That crisp, dehumidified outdoor air and indoor heat often make me appear as if I recently had a good cry or, worse, have pink eye. Friends, co-workers, and even family keep their distance as I chatter away with my flaming vampire eyes. Eventually, once again, I drive to my optometrist to make sure I don’t have a bacterial infection.
I’m not alone. At least 16 million US adults have dry eye disease (DED), according to the American Journal of Ophthalmology.
If a person can’t produce enough quality or quantity of tears to hydrate and fortify the eye, dry eyes result. It can be painful and often leaves the eyes irritated, inflamed, and reddened. It is a leading reason for opthalmologist visits.
Lack of adequate tears, if left untreated, can cause abrasions of the eye’s surface, corneal ulcers, infection, and even vision loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. Once considered an issue of older women (hormonal changes can contribute), cases have recently accelerated in the US.
