Vision Care

Typically, when you think about finding menopause relief you don’t automatically think of dry eyes. Yet over 60% of women are affected by dry eyes, and much of the reason is directly related to the hormonal change during menopause.

Dry eyes can be very annoying, and it can also cause scarring on the cornea, develop into ulcers and even lead to infections. The eye fluids normally carry away dust and debris, once this ceases there is a higher incidence of infections.

What are some dry eye symptoms?

Everyone experiences dry eyes occasionally. It could be from fatigue, overuse, weather, contact lenses, or a lack of sleep. When the symptoms don’t go away, or increase you should see your doctor.

• Sensitivity to light
• Mucus that stings.
• Irritation from wind or smoke
• Itchiness
• Tears that run down the cheek
• Scratchy feeling

The conventional treatments

Conventional medicine usually prescribes eye drops, or blocks the drainage system. These are useful in the short-term, but do nothing to treat the underlying cause. Dryness of the eyes is regarded as a sure sign of an internal imbalance.

The two main causes

Dry eyes are primarily caused by two things: too little oil production by the glands, or too much evaporation of the tears. Usually people are affected by both causes.

Obviously, if your lifestyle includes hours of staring into a computer screen, or gazing into a microscope, your eyes can become dry. Lasik surgery also can cause dry eyes because the nerves are cut, thus affecting the stimulus to blink and produce tears.

Diets low in fatty acids also fail to provide the needed nutrients for the oil in tears. Medication can also have the same affect.

Menopause, hormones and dry eyes

During menopause, the hormones responsible for lubrication in your body begin to diminish. This explains the vaginal dryness, dryness of the joints, and dry eyes. Too little estrogen, testosterone and progesterone is being produced, and the result is the various symptoms of menopause.

When the hormones are in balance, your eyes are clear, bright and full of life. When they are out of balance, it is often plainly visible in the eyes. There is a reason for such expressions as, The eyes are the window into the soul. Very often, when a person is depressed, it is plainly evident by their eyes.

What can you do to get rid of dry eyes naturally?

One of the recommended treatments for dry eyes is to have a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. This is usually done by eating certain fish and nuts. Many women also supplement their diet with fish oil to get the Omega-3 fatty acids. This is a very simple and inexpensive way to find menopause relief.

This often has the result of helping the entire body become lubricated. The dry eyes disappear, the creaky joints become more supple and the vaginal dryness is reduced. This is so much more beneficial that simply taking some drops or blocking the drainage!

By approaching health in a holistic manner, the entire person is viewed as a whole. Everything is related, and a lack in one area might easily show up in a seemingly unrelated manner. Yet, this is how nature is, one beautiful cycle of life and healing.