Receiving a glaucoma diagnosis and getting used to using eye drops regularly can be hard to get used to, especially if the medication makes your eyes feel dry, itchy, or uncomfortable. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone–50-60% of glaucoma patients have or develop dry eye syndrome during glaucoma treatment, and the risk increases with age.
What is dry eye?
Dry eye is more common than you may think; more than 16 million Americans have dry eyes. Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms? If so,you may have dry eye syndrome:
- Burning, scratchy, dry feeling
- Blurry vision
- Red eyes
- Watery eyes
- Light sensitivity
Often, the above symptoms are attributed to weather changes or allergies–a conclusion that may lead to dry eye treatments that don’t help treat the real cause of your dry eye.
Three out of every four people with dry eye use an over-the-counter eye drop to help, but only one-third experience relief with these eye drops.
Dry eye is often caused by clogged meibomian glands, resulting in reduced natural oil flow that can help hydrate your eyes. Less health oils can cause dry patches on your eye’s surface.
How does dry eye affect glaucoma?
Glaucoma patients have about a 22% lower tear production rate compared to the general population. The use of prescription eye drops and other medications can make this number even higher, adding to , the risk of dry eye. Dry eye has also been correlated with an inflamed eye surface, which also may cause significant discomfort.
None of this means that you should stop taking your glaucoma medication. Rather, it’s important for glaucoma patients to take steps to make necessary medication use easier and more comfortable. Doctors recognize that while glaucoma treatment is imperative to ensure the preservation of sight, your quality of life is important too! The goal is to continue vision-saving glaucoma treatment while keeping your ocular surface healthy.
Treating dry eye and glaucoma at the same time is important for your own health, comfort, and enjoyment of everyday activities such as watching TV or enjoying a sunset
What can I do to relieve dry eye while treating my glaucoma?
Your doctor doesn’t want anything to get in the way of using your prescribed glaucoma medication, so don’t be shy about sharing information about how the medication makes you feel. Your doctor will want to help. Sometimes, this will require an additional prescription. But that’s not always the case. There are things you can do to reduce your dependence on additional medical therapies. In particular, regular use of a moist heat eye compress and an eyelid and lash hygiene routine can prevent and solve many common discomfort issues. Better still, these are easy, natural ways to care for your eyes.
Using a Moist Heat Eye Compress
The leading cause of dry eye is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). And the leading treatment for MGD? Clean, soothing moist heat from a compress placed on the eyes for 8-10 minutes to help dissolve clogs in your meibomian glands. This form of treatment is not new. For decades doctors recommended warm washcloth treatment, but there are now easier solutions that are a lot less sloppy. Specifically, you don’t have to soak the Bruder Moist Heat Eye Compress in water and this clinically-proven compress meets the temperature required to unclog meibomian glands without scalding your face or continuously needing to run back to the sink.
Soothing to use, the Bruder Moist Heat Eye Compress’s natural dry eye treatment is recommended by doctors and eye care professionals as the leading treatment for dry eye syndrome. Try a Bruder compress today and make it your favorite part of glaucoma recovery.
Starting an Eyelid & Lash Hygiene Routine
Inflammation and irritation around the eyes can lead to a host of other conditions including blepharitis, styes, and conjunctivitis–none of which you’d want to add to a glaucoma diagnosis! To help prevent these conditions while also relieving blurry vision, discomfort, and other dry eye symptoms, devote a few extra minutes a day to preventative eye care. A common-sense eye hygiene routine will keep your eyes and eyelids healthy, clean, and moisturized. You can safely and effectively remove bacteria, dust, makeup, allergens, and oils with Bruder’s scientifically-proven line of eyelid hygiene products:
- Bruder Hygienic Eyelid Wipes effectively relieve symptoms of dry eyes such as burning, blurry vision, and watering. In addition, you can self-treat on-the-go blurry vision with the portable, individually packaged, pre-moistened rinse-free wipes.
- Bruder Hygienic Eyelid Solution, a non-irritating 0.02% hypochlorous acid solution, effectively cleans your eyelashes and eyelids without irritation, which may further help improve your spotty vision.
Ready to manage your glaucoma with less discomfort? Check out Bruder’s full line of products or get started with a Bruder Hygienic Eyelid Care Kit, which contains everything you’ll need to start a healthy hygiene routine: the Bruder Moist Heat Eye Compress, Wipes, and Spray!
