| |
Simple Dry Eye Management
Getting the eyelids in good shape is the first step in simple dry eye management.
Which dietary supplement can improve dry eyes?
Take omega 3 fatty acids found in Flax Seed Oil. A good supplement is approximately 500 mg of flaxseed oil twice daily with meals.
For optimal results, you should use the freshest possible sources of flaxseed oil.
Flaxseed oil contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids thought to help restore the oily portion of a tear film that keeps the eye moistened.
The typical diet is full of omega-6 fatty acids from milk, ice cream, butter, pizza, beef, hamburgers, steaks, fried food, cookies, crackers, chips, and cake. In contrast, most of us are typically omega-3 starved.
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, and walnuts. It has been estimated that our omega-6/omega-3 consumption ratio is about 10 to 20 times too high. These omega-6 fatty acids are converted in our bloodstream into harmful chemicals that produce inflammation in the body. Omega-3 fatty acids represent the "good guys," and work to neutralise the omega-6 ones.
Some people can’t convert the omega 3 into good chemicals so well, which is why there are some inconsistencies in the results seen with flaxseed oil alone. Fish oil seems to amplify the effects of flaxseed oil.
How to unblock your Meibomian glands
Meibomian glands are the oil-producing glands located in both the upper and lower eyelids. They number about 25 to 30 and normally slowly release oil into the tear film. This oil helps to stop the water in the tears from evaporating, thus helping to prevent dry eyes.
When you have your eyes closed, this is where the glands are situated.
Sometimes the oil becomes slightly thicker than normal which can lead to blockage of the narrow duct which takes the oil from the gland to the tear film. The oil continues to be made and this can lead to filling and swelling of the glands. This leads to the dual problems of inflammation and dry eye.
In the above photo you can see how the glands are blocked with solidified fat. If I was to press on this upper lid you would see the fat oozing out like toothpaste out of a tube.
Severe blockage can lead to much enlarged glands (a cyst) or even infection. It is therefore important to firstly, unclog the glands which are blocked and secondly to prevent them from blocking up again as much as possible.
The first part of unblocking the glands is to liquefy the thickened oil in the glands.
Lid massage
Lid massage. In the shower in the morning let the eyes be bathed by hot water to get the eyelids warmed up this will liquefy the oils in the glands. Then gently rub the closed eye lids with your fingers. This helps to get the Meibomian glands working properly.
Hot Pack
Hot pack on the eyes in the evening. Place a wheat pack on the eyes that has been heated up in the microwave for around 45 to 60 seconds. The wheat pack should be hot but not so hot that it burns your eyelids. Just lie there and relax for about 10 to 15 mins as the wheat pack cools down. This will liquefy the oils your Meibomian glands and help to get them functioning properly.
After the first week, doing this once or twice per week should help prevent the glands from becoming re-blocked.
Lid Scrubbing
If you have flaky skin on your eyelid margins (as in conditions such as Blepharitis). This needs to be cleaned off to help unblock the openings of the Meibomian glands. An excellent product for this is Lid-Care by Novartis. Lid-care comes in single use sachets. These are gently rubbed along the eyelid margin to clean away the loose skin and grime.
These are the scaly skin secretions that need to be cleaned off.
Return from
Simple Dry Eye Management
to
Home page

|