Waking up in the morning is hard enough, but for those who wake up with burning eyes, it is even worse! Your eyes will be itchy, bloodshot, swollen, and of course, burning. This terrible morning sensation can be caused by dry eye syndrome, an allergic reaction, blepharitis, pink eye, or even a foreign substance inside the eye. Sometimes you will also experience this burning feeling because your tear glands are clogged with dirt or bacteria and no longer producing the necessary tears and oils to retain moisture.
Luckily, there are remedies in place to treat your burning eyes easily. Seeing an optometrist who can examine your eyes and determine the cause of your burning eyes is the key to receiving an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Your optometrist may find that your tear glands are clogged and should be cleaned with Blephex or Lipiflow, in which case you should see a change in your eyes within a few days. In more severe cases, your eye doctor may prescribe you medicated eye drops.
There are also steps you can take at home to find relief and avoid triggers that could set off your burning eyes:
- For mild irritation, clean your eyes using warm compresses or artificial tears.
- Avoid being in the sun for too long and always wear polarized sunglasses when you are outside.
- If you wear contacts, consider investing in higher quality contacts or dailies which help your eyes retain moisture.
- Check if any of your medications have side effects that include dry eyes. You may need to discuss alternative options with your doctor.
- Eat a balanced diet that includes vitamins and fish oil (which can help stimulate tear production).
If you are tired of waking up to burning, red eyes, seek treatment from an optometrist to find long-lasting relief. True Eye Experts can help your mornings be pain-free, besides the annoying clang of the alarm clock