If you suffer from dry eyes, artificial tears are essential to your health. There are many benefits of using these drops alongside a hot eye mask for dry eyes, but there are also some things that you need to know. On this page, we will discuss ten tips on how to use artificial tears successfully.

Why Use Artificial Tears?

Artificial tears are helpful for many conditions, and they can help with things like dry eyes, eye strain, and more severe conditions like glaucoma. Artificial tears do not create any side effects that other medications may have, so they are a popular choice among patients who want to find relief from their symptoms without putting chemicals in their system.

1. Remember That You Don't Need a Prescription 

Some eye drops contain state-of-the-art ingredients and need to be bought with a prescription. However, the typical eye drops you will want to use do not require a prescription, which is an easy way to get your hands on some quick relief. The over-the-counter options usually come in small bottles, so you can easily store them in your bag or pocket when you're out and about.

2. Artificial Tears Can Help with Dry Eye Syndrome

If you have been diagnosed with dry eye syndrome, artificial tears can be an effective way to manage your symptoms and make life easier for yourself and those around you. Artificial tears can help with your symptoms by moisturizing the eyes and increasing comfort.

3. Try Using Eye Drops Alongside a Dry Eye Therapy Mask 

If you are using a hot eye mask for dry eyes, you might also want to experiment with using artificial tears simultaneously. The dry eye therapy mask will help provide some relief to your eyes, while the drops can add an extra boost of moisture for when you need it most. Alongside warm compresses and mindful use of your eyes, these are all great ways to get your dry eye symptoms under control. 

4. Only Use Eye Drops Four Times a Day

Unless your doctor recommends otherwise, it is strongly recommended that you use eye drops up to four times every day to help relieve the symptoms of dryness or dry eye syndrome. This is because the preservatives in eye drops can make your symptoms worse with overuse. 

5. You Can Use Eye Drops Even if You Wear Contact Lenses

While it can be a little challenging to manage dry eyes using contacts, using a hot eye mask for dry eyes at the same time as your drops should present no problem. However, in general, hot compresses are usually not suitable or advisable while your lenses are on. 

You may be able to use hot compresses if you take out your lenses beforehand, but a hot eye mask for dry eyes should be used without them in place. For best results, take out your contacts before doing any sort of treatment. 

6. Try Using Artificial Tears with a Water Bottle

If you struggle with dry eyes and frequently need to use eye drops, it might be worth your while trying out an experiment at home. It is possible that using artificial tears combined with water will help moisten the surface of the eyeballs even more than usual. This can lead to relief from symptoms like redness, itchiness, and other common problems.

You can try this at home by taking a bottle of room temperature water and putting it in the freezer for about an hour before using your eye drops. After applying your artificial tears to both eyes, splash some of the cold water onto each one. 

7. Don't Forget About Warm Compresses 

If you use a hot eye mask for dry tears, you might also think about doing warm compresses. A warm compress is a process of putting a moist, heated towel over your eyes to provide relief from dry eye syndrome. 

Hot compresses can be done with a towel, handkerchief, washcloth, or even a clean sock. Heat some water until it's as hot as you can stand it, and drape the cloth on your closed eyelids for 20 minutes.

8. Keep Your Eyes Closed for a Minute After Application

To help the medicine fully get into your eyes, your eyes should be closed after applying the eye drops. This will allow them to penetrate your eyelids better and deliver their benefits, thus giving you temporary relief from dryness or dry eye syndrome

9. Talk to Your Doctor About Your Dry Eyes

More than likely, those who are using artificial tears at a high level of frequency might have a condition that a doctor can diagnose and help you treat. Typically, they also will have some great advice to help you use your eye drops, and dry eye therapy mask alongside your eye drops perfectly.  

In addition, a doctor will be the best source for helping you understand why you might be experiencing dryness or dry eye syndrome and the many ways to help you get your symptoms under control.

10. Wash Your Hands When Finished

Once you get done using eye drops, you will still likely have traces of the medicine left on your hands, so it's vital that you wash them well after applying artificial tears. This will help to avoid any accidental spread of the medicine and getting in your eyes later when they are still sensitive from using eye drops.

Having dryness or dry eye syndrome can make life difficult for many people as their condition often leads to discomfort, which affects their daily lives and activities. However, those who suffer from this condition mustn't give up hope. There are many effective ways to help you get your symptoms under control, such as using artificial tears at least four times a day and other methods like hot compresses or a dry eye therapy mask. 

Thinking of Using a Hot Eye Mask for Dry Eyes?

If you want to get a new dry eye therapy mask to use alongside artificial tears to help you out with your dry eyes, then you are encouraged to check out what we have in stock here at Dry Eye Mask. Alongside the proper treatment methods recommended by your doctor, we can help you out with your dry eye symptoms.