(BPT) – Between wind and airborne debris outside and dry, dusty air inside, any time of the year can be rough on the eyes. Fortunately, there are steps you can take both at home and on the go to find relief for your dry, irritated eyes.

What causes you to have eye dryness?

If you’re experiencing consistent or increasing discomfort, especially if the solutions below do not provide relief, make an appointment with your eye doctor. Common causes for dry, irritated eyes include:

• Environmental factors — Dry air, inside or out
• Allergies — Reactions to plants, pollen, dust or animal dander
• Contact lenses — Your lens cleaning and lubricating products could add to your irritation
• Age — Getting older means producing fewer tears
• Computer use — Or any activity where you focus your eyes for long periods
• Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) — Affects especially post-menopausal women
• LASIK surgery — Some patients experience dry eyes

Some people may experience multiple causes. Seeing your eye doctor is always best to find appropriate treatment options.

To improve how your eyes feel at home, work or play, try the following:

1. Use a humidifier

If you can keep more moisture in the air both at home and in your office, night and day, you may notice an improvement in how your eyes are feeling. Dry air is one of the biggest culprits in causing eye discomfort.

2. Blink frequently

Blinking throughout the day usually helps to keep your eyes sufficiently moisturized, so make it a point to blink regularly, especially if you work at a computer all day. Set a timer on your phone or computer as a reminder to close your eyes gently a few times in a row, more often, to help keep your eyes from getting too dried out as you stare at the screen.

3. Wear sunglasses outdoors

Whether you participate in outdoor sports or just take occasional walks outside, make sure to put on sunglasses to help protect your eyes. Wrap-around sunglasses frames are especially effective at helping to reduce exposure to drying winds as well as the harsh glare of the sun.

4. Avoid rubbing

While it may feel good temporarily, rubbing can irritate your eyes in the long run. Try to avoid the temptation to rub your eyes when they feel itchy or uncomfortable. Instead, reach for artificial tears or eye drops to help provide relief from these symptoms.

5. Try artificial tears

To relieve eye discomfort, use lubricating eye drops to help care for and protect your eyes. For over-the-counter artificial tears to help improve symptoms of eye dryness, with a low incidence of blurring with each use, you can choose from Allergan’s family of REFRESH^® RELIEVA^™ lubricant eye drops to treat dry, irritated eyes: REFRESH^® RELIEVA^™, REFRESH^® RELIEVA^™ PF preservative-free multidose or REFRESH^® RELIEVA^™ FOR CONTACTS.

“As eye dryness varies for each patient, I’m excited to have three artificial tear treatment options, since we know one size doesn’t fit all for patients,” said Milton Hom, OD. “Different patients have different needs and REFRESH^® RELIEVA^™ provides diversity to satisfy more patients. With its low-blur formula and HydroCell technology, REFRESH^® RELIEVA^™ will be my preferred artificial tear.”

For more information about the most effective products to relieve your symptoms, visit Refreshbrand.com/.