If you are waking up in the middle of the night because your eyes are dry, sticky or scratchy, you may want to seek the advice of an eye doctor to see if you have an underlying medical condition that needs to be treated. You may also discuss with your doctor some easy to administer treatments at home.
There are several steps you can take, including:
Use a long-lasting lubricant; try warm compresses before bed;
cover your eyes with some kind of protective eyewear such as a soft eye mask or a protective goggle;
reduce exposure to heating or air conditioning;
and use a humidifier in the bedroom.
Your doctor can advise you on the best methods for the use of warm compresses and use of protective eye wear. A cool mist humidifier is excellent in your room, especially during the winter months. In some cases the use of prescription medication such as Restasis may be a desired option.
If your Dry Eye symptoms are affecting your daily living, you may want to be evaluated to determine if there is a medical cause for your dry eye, such as Meibomium Gland Dysfunction. There is now a new treatment for the cause of this medical dry eye condition! Learn more at Dry Eye or Lipiflow.