Dry eyes are a common issue for many elderly individuals. This chronic condition, often caused by either insufficient tear production or poor tear quality, can affect your loved one’s ability to see and enjoy the world around them. Personal care at home services can play a vital role in managing this condition by providing support with daily routines and ensuring proper eye care to enhance their comfort and quality of life.
The Two Common Dry Eye Causes
- Inadequate Tear Production: Each eye has several glands that produce tears. It’s not uncommon for the number of tears that an eye can create to reduce as a person gets older. Sometimes it’s due to medicines being taken, other times it can be caused by a medical condition, or even an overly dry environment.
- Poor Tear Quality: Tears are made up of three components: water, oil, and mucus. Each component plays an important part in healthy tears. The oil helps the water not to evaporate too quickly, and the mucus helps the tears spread evenly over the eyes, keeping them moist. If these levels are off, the eyes might become dry and itchy.
Dry Eye Symptoms
Common symptoms your loved one might experience if he is struggling with dry eyes include:
- Eyes that feel irritated or like something is in them even though nothing can be seen.
- A burning or stinging sensation in the eyes.
- Excessive watering of the eyes.
- His eyes may appear red and irritated.
- A sensitivity to brighter light.
- A stringy mucus coming out of the eyes.
- Blurred vision.
Dry Eye Risk Factors
Dry eyes can occur for many reasons and often become worse when a person has several factors that can lead to dry eyes.
- Getting older. Most individuals over the age of 65 struggle with dry eyes at times due to the body producing fewer tears than it used to.
- Being a woman. Women are more likely to experience dry eyes because of hormonal changes that occur after menopause.
- Having some medical conditions. If your loved one has diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or thyroid problems, he is more likely to also struggle with dry eyes.
- Taking certain medications. Read the labels of your loved one’s medications to see if dry eye is a side effect. Some common medications that might cause dry eye include decongestants, blood pressure medications, and antidepressants.
- Environmental Factors such as an overly dry home or looking at a computer or phone screen for too long.
Finding Relief for Dry Eyes with Personal Care at Home
Luckily, most dry eyes can be combated by using eye drops recommended by your loved one’s doctor. For some seniors, using eye drops can be a challenge. They might struggle with holding the dropper steady, accurately aiming for their eyes, or they might simply forget to use their eye drops regularly to find relief from dry eyes.
If your loved one needs assistance with using the eye drops recommended by her doctor, a personal care at home provider can assist with making sure she gets her eye drops when needed and accurately. There are many aspects of personal care at home a provider may offer and eye drop management is just one of them.
If your loved one needs assistance with accurately using her eye drops as well as other personal care matters, a personal care at home provider can be a great resource to assist her with daily living activities.
If you or an aging loved one needs Personal Care at Home in Rancho Cordova, CA, contact A Better Living Home Care today (916) 514-7006
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