A surprising new study may provide an explanation for your chronic dry eyes, as well as a simple way to reduce your symptoms. It turns out that changing your sleeping position may be all you need to do to get some relief from the symptoms of dry eye. In this post, Los Angeles LASIK surgeon Dr. Linda Vu from Linda Vision discusses the possible relationship between your sleeping position and your dry eye.
Sleeping Positions and Dry Eye Symptoms
According to a new study, people who sleep on their side may experience more severe symptoms of dry eye. If you are a side sleeper and notice worse dry eye symptoms in the morning, this study could offer you a quick fix to alleviate your symptoms.
The small study looked at 125 side sleepers with dry eye who complained of worse symptoms in the morning. Researchers asked the participants to begin sleeping on their backs. The participants who changed their sleeping position reported a reduction in their dry eye symptoms.
Why Does Side Sleeping Exacerbate Dry Eye?
It’s not clear exactly what causes side sleepers to experience worse dry eye symptoms. It could be a result of contact between the eye and a pillow or hand.
Due to the size of the study, further research will need to be done to determine how sleeping position and dry eye are related. However, this study could offer another method of dry eye relief for those who experience chronic dry eyes.
The Root Cause of Dry Eyes
While changing your sleeping position may reduce your dry eye symptoms, it doesn’t get to the root cause of your dry eye. Aging and certain medications are common causes of dry eye. Diseases that affect your ability to make tears, such as rheumatoid arthritis, could also be causing your chronic dry eyes.
If you can’t seem to get rid of your dry eyes, visit your eye doctor. You may be able to get permanent dry eye relief if you can find the underlying cause of your condition.
In the meantime, adjusting your sleep position could be a quick and easy way to reduce your dry eye symptoms.
Schedule a Dry Eye Vision Exam
Find out what’s causing your chronic dry eyes during a dry eye vision exam at Linda Vision. Schedule your appointment by calling (626) 382-2020 today.