Dry Eye is even more pronounced in the Spring and Summer – Protect yourself with the proper eyewear from Eye Wares

Dry Eye is a condition diagnosed in more and more people every day. If you feel chronic itching – like you have sand or an eyelash in your eye – you may be suffering from Ocular Surface Disease (also known as Dry Eye Syndrome). You can ease the symptoms with glasses or treat the source of the problem with our specialized RF and IPL therapy.

Dry Eye can affect anyone, especially people over 50. It is caused by a failure of the tear glands to do their job properly. That gritty, dry sensation can lead to the over-production of tears, leaving you – counter-intuitively – with weeping eyes that just aren’t doing their job. The trouble lies within the meibomian glands, which are tiny glands in your eyelids that secrete an oil that mixes with your tears. This oil has antibiotic properties that coat and soothe your cornea. When your glands get tired or clogged, they stop secreting this important oil.

Springtime brings with it breezes and a heavy dose of pollen. With our inclination to head outside to enjoy Festival Season, our eyes are exposed to more pollen and more irritants (road construction sand anyone?) than usual, leaving your eyes red and sore. Summertime is no better. The more sun exposure you get, the more likely your eyes are to dry out, taxing your glands to the max.

Wearing high-quality sunglasses can help. The glasses, themselves, create a barrier to debris and have been proven to create a pocket of warm air in front of your eyes, limiting the evaporation of tears caused by spring breezes. We added the words “high-quality” because proper sun protection can reduce stress on your eyes and shield them from UV rays.

A great example of quality sunglasses are Maui Jim, the official sunglasses of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Eye Wares carries a wide variety of Maui Jim sunglasses which can be customized with your prescription in just a few days.

If your chronic Dry Eye Syndrome requires medical attention, the doctors at Eye Wares are expert at treating Dry Eye at the source. Our radio frequency (RF) and intense pulsed light (IPL) technology are designed to stimulate the meibomian gland and increase its output of oils. Find out which treatment is right for you. Visit any of our Eye Wares locations.

With the right prevention and treatment, you can enjoy the French Quarter Fest, Jazz Fest and any of the numerous festivals scheduled for Spring and Summer in Louisiana. So come into Eye Wares and get yourself ready. Then get out there and have fun in the sun!