Suffering from dry eyes? Here’s an easy and effective solution.

Increased screen hours and time spent indoors is causing more problems with dry eyes

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In recent times, more of us are working away from the office, spending more time on screens and at home indoors, than ever before. A YouGov study in November 2020 revealed that nearly half (49 per cent) of people say their screen time has increased in the last year with a mixture of laptop or computer work in the day and watching TV at night.

This shift in lifestyle has put additional pressure elsewhere on our bodies: straining our vision and drying out our eyes. And while working from home might not last forever it is important that we don’t ignore the negative side effects on our everyday health, and that includes our eyes.

Even before the recent environmental changes, one in five people in the UK (13 million people) regularly suffered with dry eye disease. According to the NHS, signs of dry eye disease include itchiness, soreness, redness, blurry vision, and being sensitive to light. Watery eyes can also be a sign.

Jonathon Bench, Director of Professional Affairs International at Alcon, said: “Dry eye is perhaps most simply described as a reduced amount of tears, either through not producing enough or them evaporating too readily.” Although our eyes naturally deteriorate as we get older, young people can get dry eyes too.

There are some ways to manage dry eyes with small routine changes, such as cutting down on screen time, not wearing eye make-up or making sure to wear sunglasses when outdoors to protect your eyes from windy or dry weather conditions. You can also try the 20-20-20 rule where you take a 20-second break looking at something 20 metres away for every 20 minutes spent staring at a screen.

But, as well as making these switches, you can help yourself by buying over-the-counter solutions, such as Alcon’s Systane® COMPLETE for soothing relief lubricant eye drops. Alcon is the global leader in eye care, with a business heritage spanning more than seven decades, including tailored solutions to help soothe all sorts of eye problems.

While changes in your routine might help over time, the Systane® COMPLETE eye drops - easily accessible at Boots and other pharmacies or opticians nationwide - will provide instant relief and soothing in a single all-in-one product. The product will not only soothe and add moisture, but it will leave eyes feeling refreshed all day.

Suitable for all types of dry eye, Systane® COMPLETE is made up of an advanced formula with nano-sized droplets that hydrate the tear film on your eye. This instantly makes you more comfortable as it enhances the outer layer of your eye to prevent tear evaporation and dry eye recurring later.

For those who wear contact lenses you can also use Systane® COMPLETE prior to inserting your lenses and after you’ve taken them out at the end of the day to restore tired or dry eyes. You only need to insert one or two drops into the eye and blink.

Dry eye is a normal part of modern life - especially when we’re all spending time in hostile environments for our eyes with screens and central heating bigger factors than ever before - but it doesn’t mean you need to tolerate the discomfort.

Dry eye can be managed successfully and bring greater comfort with small lifestyle changes and the addition of topical treatments like Systane® COMPLETE, providing instant relief in an easy-to-apply, all-in-one product.

You can buy Systane® COMPLETE at Boots (online and in store) or in pharmacies and opticians nationwide. RRP £15.49 (10ml).