While hot flashes, loss of libido and sleeplessness always are associated with declining levels of estrogen and other hormones during menopause, occasional dry eye is another common symptom that gets little, if no, attention! Recognizing the importance of our eyes to our overall health and well being, FabOverFifty is partnering with EyePromise during Menopause Awareness Month.
“Both men and women past the age of 50 experience increased dryness in their eyes, but the condition is nearly twice as likely to occur in women,” says Sean Mulqueeny, O.D. of Mulqueeny Eye Centers in St. Louis. “It’s a result of the decrease of the hormone androgen, which causes the eyes to lose moisture.”
Considering occasional dry eye as a normal part of the aging process, many of Mulqueeny’s patients don’t know they have options to improve their symptoms, he explains, so he routinely performs dry eye screenings for all women over 40 years old.
Common occasional dry eye symptoms include redness and scratchy eyes that feel as if they have a foreign particle in them. You also may experience difficulty in keeping focus, as well as blurring, especially while reading or working on the computer. These symptoms also can lead to eye fatigue and eyestrain, Mulqueeny explains. Patients with occasional dry eye also can become increasingly intolerant to contact lenses.
The longer occasional dry eye is ignored, the worse it can become.
“Extreme cases can lead to significant pain and a decreased quality of life. The most severe cases can result in scarring of the cornea (the clear front wall of the eye) and even permanent sight loss,” Mulqueeny adds. Leaving occasional dry eye untreated also increases your susceptibility to eye infections.
Fortunately, there are natural ways to improve occasional dry eye symptoms. While artificial tears provide only temporary relief, and aren’t a long-term solution, oral supplements can help treat occasional dry eye from within, Mulqueeny says.
EyePromise EZ Tears is one excellent treatment, recommended by doctors. These softgels include a powerful formula of vitamins A, D3, and E, as well as fish oil, Omega 3, and other natural ingredients. Eighty six percent of patients reported relief within four weeks, according to the company.
Check out this page to learn how EZ Tears can naturally relieve occasional dry eye. Enter code NoMoreDryEye at checkout to receive $5 off your purchase.