Are You Drinking Enough Water To Keep Your Eyes Hydrated?

Did you know that drinking enough water is essential for your eyes? Without adequate moisture, your tears may become unbalanced and struggle to moisturize your eyes properly, leading to dry, irritated, and uncomfortable eyes.

Drinking at least 90 ounces of water a day is recommended to keep your body healthy and hydrated, including your eyes.  Read below to learn how hydration can keep your eyes healthy and how it can prevent dry eye symptoms and other common eye problems. *

What do tears do?

Many people believe that tears only appear when you cry. In reality, tears are pretty constant and serve many essential purposes. They help wash away debris, protect our eyes from infections, and keep our eyes moisturized and healthy.

Tears are made up of three layers, the oil layer, the aqueous (water) layer, and the mucus layer. All three layers of the tear film help moisturize and protect your eyes from irritants. If we didn’t have tears, our eyes would dry out and become irritated, and possibly lead to visual impairment.

What happens if my eyes are dehydrated?

If your body is dehydrated, it means that more water leaves the body than enters it. So basically, there is not enough water to go around to keep your body nourished and healthy.

Your eyes rely on proper hydration, just like the rest of your body. One of the most important layers of the tear film is the water layer, so dehydration can cause that layer to fall out of balance and become deficient.

Proper lubrication of the eyes helps keep them wet and moisturized so they don’t become uncomfortable and dry. Dry eye occurs when there are insufficient quality tears to nourish your eyes.

Dehydration may also lead to high salt levels in your eyes, known as hyperosmolarity. Excess salt in tears can cause an imbalance in the water and oil layer of the tear film. Your tears need oxygen and electrolytes to maintain the natural balance of your eye, so that you can keep your eyes moisturized, protected, and healthy.

You may also experience these other uncomfortable sensations if your eyes are dehydrated:

• Burning or stinging in the eyes
• Scratchiness in the eyes
• Blurred vision or visual impairment 
• Eye strain
• Headaches
• Redness in the eyes
• Discomfort wearing contact lenses

How do you keep your eyes hydrated? 

If your body is dehydrated, it will attempt to preserve the fluid remaining in the body. You’ll first start to notice this when you’re feeling thirsty.

You may experience dehydration from any situation where you quickly lose fluids. Sweating during exercise, excessive alcohol drinking, vomiting and diarrhea while sick, and extreme heat can all cause you to lose fluids.

The solution is pretty simple–drink water! Typically, women should drink about 90 ounces a day, and men about 125 ounces. However, your intake may vary depending on your body weight and overall health. It may also depend on your level of daily physical activity.

Even though drinking water is important, you may need additional treatments to keep your body and eyes hydrated while preventing dry eyes. Below are some tips to help combat dehydration and treat your dry eye.

Dry Eye Tips

 

Lubricant Eye Drops

Eye Drops can help soothe dehydration symptoms by keeping your eyes moist and comfortable.  Lubricant eye drops can help keep tears in your eyes for longer and help remove debris and irritants from the eye.

Reduce or Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol

If you are suffering from dehydration, then you should stay away from or limit beverages that may be dehydrating. Alcohol and caffeine will not hydrate you, so you should stick to plain water, flat or carbonated, to raise your hydration levels.

Limit Screen Time

Any activity that requires you to look at a screen for hours can cause dry eyes. As you stare at a computer screen or play video games, you forget to blink, which leads to fewer tears nourishing your eyes. So, remember to blink when performing any activity for long periods, and overall, limit your screen time.

Use a Humidifier

The air in your home can become dry, especially during winter when the heat is constantly on. A humidifier can help keep moisture in the air, so your eyes don’t dry out quickly.

 

_{*This website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and you should always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.}