Are your eyes a bit itchy and sore? Do they feel gritty or look a little red? Are you struggling to read?
If so, you may have something called dry eye, a very common problem that affects around a quarter of the population, and one that can cause damage if left untreated.
‘Dry, tired eyes can be caused by many things, from pollution and air conditioning to wearing contact lenses or taking certain medications,’ explains optometrist Mark Holloway.
Dry eye impacts about a quarter of the population and causes soreness, itching as well as sensitivity to light and occasional blurred vision
It’s caused when the eyes don’t produce enough tears.
‘Symptoms include soreness, itching and a gritty sensation as well as sensitivity to light and occasional blurred vision,’ says Mark.
‘Ignoring dry eye leaves the cornea vulnerable to damage as well as the potential for progressive vision impairment.’
But the good news is, it’s really easy to treat yourself at home.
THE ONE STOP DROP
You can rid yourself of this irritating condition by regularly applying eye drops which replace the moisture that’s been lost.
TheraTears® is an easy-to-understand range that has been developed in collaboration with both eye experts and consumers
TheraTears® eye drops are an advanced 5-in-1 formula that both soothes and repairs dry or tired eyes when applied regularly. They’re available without a prescription from multiple grocers, pharmacies and online.
‘Choosing eye drops can be confusing,’ says eye expert Mark, ‘but TheraTears® is an easy-to-understand range that has been developed in collaboration with both eye experts and consumers.
‘It’s a user-friendly eye care range with natural ingredients like hyaluronic acid, witch hazel and mallow that can help soothe the eyes, and are contact lens friendly.’
There are four products to choose from, each specialising in dry eyes caused by different issues and providing five different benefits.
So which one is best for you?
How To Apply Eye Drops
Step 1: Wash and dry your hands thoroughly.
Step 2: Using one hand, gently pull your lower eyelid down and way from your eye to create a gap (or ‘pocket’) for the drops
Step 3: Tilt your head back and look up. Hold the bottle of eye drops upside down with the tip just above the pocket you’ve created.
Step 4: Squeeze one or two drops into your eye as needed making sure the tip of the bottle doesn’t touch your eye or lashes to prevent contamination.
Step 5: Close your eye for at least one minute. While doing this, press your finger on your tear duct – the inner corner of your eye – lightly to prevent the drops from draining away.
General indication
BEST GENERAL RELIEF: TheraTears® Dry or Tired Eye Drops
5-in-1 benefits: Relieves, protects, hydrates, soothes and refreshes
This formula relieves dry, itchy and burning eyes from the very first drop with naturally derived ingredients.
It includes hyaluronic acid which lubricates and retains moisture, witch hazel which has gentle, soothing properties and Ginkgo biloba which helps protect the eyes by combatting the effects of free radicals, such as sunlight.
BEST FOR SQUARE EYES: TheraTears® Screen Eyes
5-in-1 benefits: Reduces strain, relieves irritation, refreshes, protects, whitens
‘Over half of adults in the UK spend 11 hours or more looking at screen – a staggering statistic,’ says Mark. ‘We tend to blink less when staring at a screen which can lead to the eye drying out.’
Luckily Theratears® Screen Eyes can help by refreshing and hydrating these over-used organs and reducing the strain and irritation caused by extensive screen use.
It contains euphrasia, a plant extract known to support natural eye whitening when they’re tired and red.
BEST FOR MATURE EYES: TheraTears® Dry or Tired Eye Drops 50+
5-in-1 benefits: Restores, long lasting, reduces strain, instant relief and hydrates
Dry eyes are most common in people aged over 50 – meaning nearly half of all adults in the UK are vulnerable to this problem.
‘As we age, it is common to experience dry, tired and irritated eyes as we naturally produce fewer tears of lower quality,’ explains Mark. ‘Changes in health conditions, medication and hormonal changes during and after the menopause can also cause eyes to dry out.’
TheraTears’®50+ formula contains cross-linked hyaluronic acid for instant and long-lasting relief and chamomile and mallow to freshen and calm mature eyes.
And it’s preservative free so suitable for those who require frequent and prolonged application.
There are many reasons you might experience dry eyes in the morning – but luckily the solution is simple
BEST FOR OVERNIGHT REPAIR: TheraTears® Dry or Tired Overnight Restore Eye Drops
5-in-1 benefits: repairs, protects, hydrates, soothes, restores
If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep, love reading before bedtime or are one of the five per cent of people who don’t shut their eyes properly while sleeping, you’re more likely to develop dry eyes.
But this preservative-free formula is ideal to use as part of your night-care routine, it works through the night to restore your eyes’ surface and provide immediate comfort and long-lasting relief thanks to its hyaluronic acid content.
Discover The One Stop Drop for you…TheraTears 5 in 1 Eyecare available now at Boots, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Superdrug and Online
