After a long day in front of a screen, people walk into our shop in Kemalpaşa rubbing their eyes and describe one of the complaints we hear most often. Dry eye is far more common across İzmir than most people assume, especially in a place with windy afternoons and dry summers. Many brush it off as ordinary tiredness, yet the cause is usually a set of habits that can be changed.
We are opticians, so we do not diagnose or prescribe treatment. Still, because we talk with so many people who wear glasses and contact lenses, we see how the complaint starts and what makes it worse. Below are the symptoms, the everyday measures and the signs that call for an eye doctor.
What Dry Eye Syndrome Really Is
The surface of the eye is covered by a thin tear film. That film is not water alone, it works together with an oily layer and a mucin layer. Dry eye happens when this film is not produced in enough quantity, or when it evaporates too quickly.
So the problem is not always a shortage of tears. In some people the amount is normal, but the oily layer is weak, so the fluid cannot hold onto the surface. Either way the eye is left unprotected and becomes irritated.
Dry eye is not one single illness, it is the shared result of several causes. The same complaint in two people may not come from the same source. In one person a screen habit stands out, in another it is weak oil glands along the eyelid edge.
Stinging, Burning and a Gritty Feeling
A dry eye complaint rarely arrives as a single symptom. Here are the sensations people who visit our shop describe most often.
- Stinging and burning, especially in the second half of the day
- A foreign body feeling, as if sand had got into the eye
- Redness and a heaviness in the eyelids
- Vision that blurs and then clears for a moment after a blink
- Increased sensitivity to light
- A sense towards evening that the glasses prescription is no longer strong enough
For some people who come in for a prescription check, the real issue is not a change in the degree but a drying eye surface. Telling the two apart before you order a lens replacement saves a needless cost.
A watery eye can be a dry eye too. Someone whose eyes water constantly usually objects when they hear the description of dry eye. Yet dryness irritates the surface, and the eye answers back by producing plenty of watery tears that run off without holding on. You see it often in people whose eyes water in the wind while stinging at the same time.
What Causes Dry Eye
Screen Use and Fewer Blinks
Under normal conditions we blink around 15 to 20 times a minute. When we lock our attention on a screen, that number drops noticeably, the tear film cannot renew itself and the surface begins to dry.
For someone who works at a computer all day and then spends the evening on a phone, the effect stacks up. This is the main reason dry eye now appears at younger ages.
Air Conditioning, Wind and Indoor Air
An air conditioned office or car cabin lowers the moisture in the air. Through İzmir summers it runs almost constantly, so tears evaporate faster, and heated, unventilated rooms in winter do the same.
For our customers who work outdoors around Kemalpaşa, wind and dust are the deciding factors. The Aegean wind that picks up in the afternoon dries the eye surface directly, and dust adds to the irritation.
Age, Medication and Other Factors
Tear production falls with age. After the forties this change becomes more noticeable, and in women it can speed up during hormonal periods.
Some medicines reduce tears too, including allergy drugs, part of the blood pressure medicines and certain psychiatric ones. If you suspect a medicine you take, talk to the doctor who prescribed it rather than deciding on your own.
Why the Picture Differs for Contact Lens Wearers
A contact lens sits on the eye surface and splits the tear film in two, so dryness starts earlier in lens wearers. Feeling the lens stick towards the end of the day is a typical sign.
The lens material, its oxygen permeability and its water content all matter. In the same person one brand can be uncomfortable while another material is worn with no trouble. As part of our contact lens service we share guidance on material choice and wear time.
These habits clearly increase dryness in lens wearers.
- Wearing the lens longer than the recommended time
- Reusing the same solution without refreshing it
- Carrying on with a lens past its replacement date because it still looks fine
- Dozing off or sleeping with lenses in
- Staying in lenses for long hours in an air conditioned room
When dryness sets in, take the lens out and rest the eye. If it does not pass within a few days, go back to glasses and see a doctor rather than forcing the lens back in.
Everyday Measures That Actually Help
Because dry eye usually comes from habits, small changes can bring real relief. What follows is not medical treatment, these are everyday comfort measures.
- During screen work, every 20 minutes look into the distance for about 20 seconds and blink a few times on purpose
- Place the screen slightly below eye level, so the eyelid covers a larger part of the surface
- Do not aim the air conditioning or heater flow straight at your face
- Consider a room humidifier to raise the moisture where you work
- Drink enough water through the day, fluid intake feeds tear production directly
- Outdoors, choose sunglasses that shield the eyes against wind and dust
- A warm compress in the morning can help the oil glands in the eyelid work more easily
Cost free changes like a screen break and turning the air conditioning away from your face can visibly reduce the evening sting within a few days. Artificial tear drops are sold without a prescription, but which one suits you and whether it should be preservative free varies, so leave that choice to a doctor.
Small Adjustments for Glasses Wearers
A spectacle lens does not treat dry eye, but it clearly affects how comfortable your vision feels. A dirty or scratched surface makes the eye work harder and deepens the dryness.
For people at a screen all day, coated lenses that cut reflections help the eye squint less, and a frame that sits properly keeps the wind off the eye. If you are not sure your prescription is still correct, starting with an eye test makes sense, because a wrong prescription and dry eye symptoms resemble each other to a surprising degree.
What to Do About Dry Eye in Kemalpaşa
For someone living in Kemalpaşa, the first step is to notice when the complaint appears. Does it happen only during working hours, does it grow in an air conditioned room, does it stand out on the days you wear lenses. That distinction makes your visit to the doctor easier.
Our shop is on Kirazlı Caddesi in the Mehmet Akif Ersoy neighbourhood. When you drop by we check your current glasses, the state of the lens and whether your prescription is up to date. If your complaint seems to be about the eye surface, we point you to the right place.
When to See an Eye Doctor in İzmir
Everyday measures are enough for most mild complaints, but some cannot wait. If any of the following is present, see an eye doctor without losing time.
- The complaint lasts longer than two weeks and does not pass despite the measures
- There is lasting blur or a drop in your vision
- There is clear pain, severe redness or discharge in the eye
- Sensitivity to light makes daily life difficult
- Pain or blur appears when you put your contact lenses in
- You have a rheumatic condition or a thyroid problem
Finding an eye clinic in central İzmir and the surrounding districts is not hard. The hospitals towards Bornova are about 25 minutes from Kemalpaşa, and the Buca side is around 35 minutes. When you leave, take your prescription with you, it is the first thing you will need at the glasses or lens step.
If You Would Like Your Glasses Checked
Diagnosing a dry eye complaint is the doctor's field, not ours. But the lens of your glasses, your prescription and how the frame sits are our job, and when these three are in order your day passes more comfortably for your eyes.
You are welcome to drop by our shop in Kemalpaşa to have your glasses checked and ask any questions. If you prefer, write to us first on WhatsApp and we will arrange a time that suits you, or reach us through our contact page. Our address is Mehmet Akif Ersoy Mahallesi, Kirazlı Caddesi No 160/B, Kemalpaşa, İzmir.
