One of the most common concerns my patients have is that they have fluctuating vision that is worse at the end of the day. Thankfully, this is usually the catalyst to get them in for an exam. Surprisingly, new glasses are not the answer in the majority of these cases. I am going to be doing a 3 part series on why this is happening and what you can do to relieve the symptoms.
Tear Film: the Foundation of Vision
The most common reason this is happening is because patients have unstable tear films. Let me break this down: the tear film is the thin layer of fluid that sits on top of your eye and provides moisture and protection to your eyes. It is also the foundation of vision! It consists of water and oil. If you do not produce the right kind of oil from your eyelids, it evaporates too quickly. This makes your eyes irritated and vision go in and out of focus.
Extreme Demands on Our Eyes
Now let’s be honest with ourselves, we demand a lot from our eyes. This can range from screens all day, working in extreme weather conditions, or wearing contacts for 18+ hours a day! All of these events take a toll on our eyes and the tear film is the main victim. Try staring at anything for 30 seconds and see how blurry your vision gets. Add this all those other crazy conditions and you literally will see my point!
What Can You Do!?!
There are a few great options to get this problem under control:
- Systane Complete Artificial Tears – these are specifically formulated to replace the oil in your tears unlike the majority of eyedrops you will see at a pharmacy.
- Lid hygiene – giving your lids and lashes a good cleaning with a tea tree foam cleanser will help keep the glands that release the oil free of anything plugging them up. This lets the oil come out easily the way its supposed to.
- Warm compresses – sometimes the oil in our glands thickens and gets clogged up. Applying moist heat to your lids for at least 10 minutes will help “melt” the oil in your glands so it can come out easier (check out the D.E.R.M or Tranquileyes masks)
At the end of the day, give the office a call 616-219-8153, and get an eye exam. We will evaluate your complete eye health, make recommendations specific for your situation, and get your vision to be stable throughout the day! Remember to look out for parts 2 and 3 of this series!