Dry Eye – Causes & Ways to Heal Holistically

Most people experience dry eye at one point or another in their life. It’s rarely serious and can be corrected with simple holistic approach.

People who practice Natural Vision Improvement techniques get rid of their dry eyes naturally. How so? Believe it or not, some of the relaxation techniques we teach such as blinking, yawning, swinging, and palming help the brain (parasympathetic nervous system) to send messages to the tear gland to produce more tears. Read a testimonial at the end of this article.

• A stinging, burning, gritty, or scratchy sensation in eyes.
• Itching and redness
• excessive watering or tearing (The body attempts to solve the problem by making more tears. This results in more tears but not enough of other lubricating components, thus the dry eye problem remains.)
• Blurred vision
• Increased eye irritation or pain
• Difficulty reading for a long period
• A sense of a foreign substance in your eyes
• Stringy mucus discharge in or around your eyes
• Light sensitivity

The two primary causes of dry eyes are: (1) decrease in the amount of tears produced; (2) an imbalance in the components of the tear mixture – water, oils, and mucus. Other causes include:

• Long term use of contact lenses – Dry eyes are the leading cause of contact lens discomfort, because they can dramatically increase tear evaporation.
• Habitual eye strain –Staring at a computer screen or reading or absorbed in work that demands high concentration without blinking could cause dry eyes. (about 3-4 times per minute verses the normal about 10-15 times per minute)
• Lasik surgery – It temporarily disrupts the normal activity of the tear film mechanism.  One of the long-lasting side effects of Lasik surgery is dry eyes.
• Eye surgery which holds the eyelids open can damage the conjunctiva and destroy goblet cells. This may be the reason so many people experience severe dry eyes after eye surgery.
• Environment – low humidity, high altitude, pollution, first and second hand smoke, dry windy conditions, the use of heaters and air conditioning, flying in an airplane.
• Nutrition – deficiency of vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin E, Magnesium, or Omega-3 fatty acids
• Toxic body – Toxins in the body cause inflammation and decrease in function of the delicate tear film that protects the eyes.
• Dehydration – Not drinking enough water and/or consuming too much coffee or overuse of refined sugar
• Diseases that may be connected to dry eyes are diabetes, migraine headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, asthma, lupus, and often glaucoma.
• Medication – Some allopathic medications decrease the body’s ability to produce lubricating tears. These include
  • Antibiotics
  • Antidepressants
  • Antihistamines, decongestants
  • Blood pressure medications
  • Diuretics
  • Appetite suppressants
  • Ulcer medications
  • Birth control pills
  • Certain acne medications
  • Visine (over-the-counter eye drop)

• Hormonal changes – Women’s hormonal changes triggered by menstruation, pregnancy, lactation, and especially post-menopausal hormonal changes can cause lowered tear production.
• Age? – Medical world usually say that dry eyes are a part of the natural aging process. Is it true? Nay, I see many old people with no complaints of dry eyes.
• Emotion – Your repressed feeling could cause dry eyes because the tear production is induced by your nervous system.

When to Call a Medical Eye Doctor for Dry Eye

You should call your eye doctor if your eyes are itchy, red, and irritated for a long period; if you experience blurred or sudden decreased vision; or if you have pain in your eyes.

How to Heal Dry Eye Holistically

• Blink frequently
• Yawning is especially helpful as it helps the tear glands produce tear.
• Palming
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat plenty of fresh organic red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables as well as dark green leafy vegetables

• Eat cold-water fish such as salmon
• Do simple emotional clearing method such as Emotional Freedom Technique.
• Avoid air blowing into your eyes
• Regulate the humidity in your office or home if possible. (35-50% humidity is suggested.)
• Folk remedy: Make your own eye drops with Manuka honey and distilled water. This solution works like a charm for many.  For more info and testimonials on this recipe, go here…

Testimonial

From a 69 years old lady who had severe dry eye syndrome for many years after Lasik surgery: “Mimi, I want you to know that now my dry eye problem seems to be gone as well as old-age sight. Cannot pinpoint which helped me but I just practiced relaxation (blinking, yawning, palming) and the chart you told me to do for my closeup reading problem. Now I can read menus and smaller prints, and these also helped me to eliminate the need for the medicated eye drops for my dry eyes. I was still wiping off the tears coming down on my cheeks every 20 minutes or so. Then I remembered you telling me to apply YL’s Frankincense essential oil around the eyes. That must helped even more. I have no more tears coming down on my cheeks. Thanks for saving me from both of my eye problems so simply!”

If you need help on your natural healing of dry eyes, contact us at HappyEyesight.

Mimi Shekoski, PhD, Natural Vision Teacher | Holistic Natural Health Doctor

Note: Nothing in this blog post is to be construed as medical advice, nor is it intended to replace the recommendations of a medical professional. For specific questions, please see your eye care practitioner.

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