How to treat dry eyes?

Eyes are a sensitive part of the body and its better you visit your ophthalmologist, instead of treating it yourself at home. Dry eyes can be a result of many things and many cases are due to medications. There are a variety of artificial tears that are available that help in treating dry eyes. Antibiotics and hormonal therapy is also a useful way to get rid of dry eyes. If you are looking for a long term solution, you can go in for punctum plugs, which are a silicone plug that is the size of a sesame seed. These offer complete and immediate relief and do not require surgery.

Some tips which can help you to cure dry eyes are as follows-
* Take flaxseed or fish oil supplements. The Omega-3 fatty acids in these oils can decrease the viscosity of tears and normalize the function of the tear glands. You should also include sources of Omega-3 fatty acid in your diet, such as walnuts and soybeans.
* Use castor oil eye drops. An old folk remedy for dry eyes, castor oil can be found in many commercial eye drops. You can add one drop of regular castor oil to the affected eye twice daily using a clean dropper.
* Apply warm compresses to the eye. In some inflammatory disorders, the lipid layer of tears becomes too thick for the eye to express enough. A warm compress helps to express plugged tear ducts.
* Add humidity to your environment. Use a portable humidifier at the office, and a whole-house humidifier at home. Aim for a humidity level near the high end of normal or around 50 to 60 percent.
* Wear wraparound sunglasses to protect the eyes from dry air and wind. This creates a kind of moisture chamber that increases the humidity around the eyes.