As the leaves turn yellow and the pumpkins appear on front porches, you might notice another sign of the season thats far less welcome: dry, itchy eyes.Dry eyes impact nearly 16 million Americans. Colder, drier air has less moisture, which can cause irritation and discomfort. And in the fall, pollen (especially ragweed) is thick in the air, which can cause your symptoms of dry eye to be even worse.If youve ever experienced dry eye syndrome, youre all too familiar with scratchy eyes, itching, redness, and irritation. You might even experience blurred vision as a result.Dry eyes might run in your family the same way blood type and height do. If your dry eye isnt genetic, it might be caused by lifestyle factors, medications youre taking, or a medical procedure youve had.Whatever the cause, there are many ways to prevent dry eyes and treat them with at-home remedies. Here are the most common causes of dry eye syndrome and how to get immediate dry eye relief.What is Dry Eye Syndrome?Millions of Americans experience dry eyes from time to time. But when the problem becomes chronic and disrupts your daily life, it can be classified as chronic dry eye syndrome.Every time you blink, your tears nourish your eyes with moisture and healthy oils. If your eyes dont receive that moisture or dont receive enough of it it can make your eyes uncomfortable and irritated.Symptoms of dry eye syndrome include:Dryness and painScratchy eyesThe feeling that something is in your eyeStinging or burningBlurred visionExcess tearing, sometimes with strings of mucusRednessIrritationLight sensitivityBesides being irritating and potentially impacting your daily life, chronic dry eye may cause inflammation of your eyes and possibly lead to long-term damage. Long-term dry eye syndrome can cause abrasions on the cornea, which can impact your vision.What Causes Chronic Dry Eye Syndrome?Before treating your dry eye symptoms, its important to try and figure out whats causing them. If your eyes have felt dry for a long period of time without relief, there might be a few different reasons.Genetic Causes of Dry Eye SyndromeSometimes dry eye is an unwelcome gift handed down from your parents or grandparents. As you age, you might notice dry eye becomes more of a problem.Age: Dry eye is more common in people 50 years old or older. As you age, your eyes produce fewer tears, making it harder to keep your eyes nourished.Gender: Women are more likely to develop dry eye syndrome, especially as they experience changes in hormones due to pregnancy and menopause. Hormone changes can impact the amount of moisture available to nourish your eyes.Autoimmune disease: Some autoimmune diseases can cause dry eye as a side effect, including Sjogrens Syndrome, lupus, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis.Lifestyle Causes of Dry Eye SyndromeIf you notice a change in your eyes after making a lifestyle changelike moving to a new state, starting a new job, or shifting your dietgenetics might not be to blame. Several environmental factors and habits can impact the health of your eyes:Technology: Prolonged screen time can cause you to not blink as frequently, meaning your eyes dont receive as much moisture.Air conditioning: Heaters and warm, dry air, as well as both cold and warm air from car vents can dry out your eyes.Dry climates: If you live in a dry climate such as the mountains or desert, the lack of moisture in the air can dry out your eyes.Exposure to wildfire smoke: If you live in an area with frequent wildfires, you might notice your eyes feel irritated and dry when youre exposed to smoke.Diet: Your eyes receive essential nutrients from foods. Without enough vitamin A or omega-3 fatty acids, your eyes might not produce enough tears or tears with adequate nutrients to nourish your eyes.Allergies: Seasonal allergies to pollen can dry out your eyes. So can allergies to things around you including pet dander, mold, dust mites, cleaning products, perfumes, and beauty products.Dry Eye Syndrome from Medications or Medical ProceduresYour eyes can be sensitive to other changes in your body, such as new medications or medical procedures.Medications: Many medications can cause dry eyes as a side effect, especially antihistamines, decongestants, and medications for hormone replacement therapy.LASIK: LASIK laser eye surgery is an amazing technological advancement in improving your vision. Sometimes as your vision improves, LASIK can cause temporary or long-term dry eye syndrome.How to Prevent Dry Eye SyndromeWhether dry eyes come from genetic factors, environmental causes, or medications, there are several changes you can make to your lifestyle to reduce your symptoms and get relief.Prevent dry eye syndrome by:Limiting air blowing directly into your eyes from air conditioners, fans, heaters, and car vents.Supplementing the moisture in the air of your home and office with a humidifier, especially in winter.Taking breaks away from screens. This will help you blink more, which delivers moisture to your eyes.Protect your eyes with sunglasses when youre outside, especially if its windy.Quit smoking. Firsthand and secondhand smoke can dry out your eyes.How to Treat Dry Eye SyndromeIf prevention alone isnt enough, you have options for treating symptoms of dry eye. We work with patients every day to treat eye conditions including dry eye syndrome.Try these home remedies for dry eyes to find instant relief.Artificial tears: Use over-the-counter eye drops to provide lubrication only to manage mild cases of dry eyes. If the drops tend to irritate your eyes right after using them, try preservative-free drops instead.Supplements: Consider taking supplements of vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish oil and flax oil) to hydrate your eyes.Hydrate: When your body is well-hydrated, your eyes are well-hydrated. Drink water throughout the day to keep your eyes feeling nourished.Dont rub! It might feel like you have something stuck in your eye, but rubbing your eyes can make the problem worse. You could introduce more of an allergen or irritate your eyes further.Cold compress: Wet a clean washcloth with cold water and lay it over your closed eyes to soothe the area and ease irritation.If you try these at-home treatments and dont find much relief, its time to see the eye doctor. We have several ways to treat dry eye syndrome to ease your discomfort.Blocking tear ducts: Your tear ducts drain the tears from your eyes. If your eyes are chronically dry, we might suggest having a procedure that blocks them to prevent the tears from leaving your eye. Come in to see us if this is something youre interested in discussing.Prescription eye drops: If needed, we can prescribe you dry eye medication that will increase your tear production.How We Diagnose Dry Eye SyndromeThe only way to know if youre experiencing dry eye syndrome is by making an appointment with us (or your local eye doctor).Well examine your eyes and eyelids to look for common signs of dry eye. Well also measure the quality and quantity of your tear production and take your blink rate into consideration.To get a clear picture of whats going on in your eyes, well check the health of the glands in your eyes that produce nourishing oils. Whatever the results of your examination, well be able to discuss possible causes and treatmentsCare For Your Eyes All Year LongDry eye syndrome is often worse in the colder months of the year, but caring for your eyes all year long can help alleviate symptoms.Be sure to visit us for annual visits so we can track the health of your eyes and help you deal with problems. And if you wear contact lenses, be sure to replace them as frequently as your eye doctor recommends. This will depend on the brand of contact lenses you use and the recommendations from your eye doctor.As the weather gets cold, give your eyes some extra attention to keep them healthy and comfortable.If you have any questions, please contact Eye Care Center of Northern Colorado at 720-706-6539.

For many, television is a big part of our day-to-day. For those with hearing loss, watching TV can be tough. Many are able to hear, but they cant understand, clarity being the biggest issue. Clarity is made worse the further you are from the TV, and by reverberation (how the sound bounces around the hard surfaces in the room before it reaches your ears).TIP #1Spend the extra money on a wireless transmitter. There are stand-alone systems that work without hearing aids that make watching TV with hearing loss less frustrating. Each brand of hearing aid has its own version of a TV transmitter, so you will need to use the one that is specific to your brand.TIP #2Todays flat-screen televisions often leave much to be desired when it comes to sound quality (speakers are sometimes on the back of the TV, so the sound does not project out to you). It may be helpful to buy a soundbar. Some hearing aids may also be programmed with a manual setting designed specifically for watching TV. However, the wireless TV Streamers that connect to most hearing aids provide the best sound quality.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Longmont Hearing & Tinnitus Center. They may be reached at 303-651-1178

If you have diabetes, its important to keep up to date with your preventive screenings to help catch issues as soon as possible. Find an eye care professional near you to schedule your diabetic retinal eye exam.What is a diabetic retinal eye exam?A diabetic eye exam is part of a comprehensive eye exam performed by an eye care professional to check for signs of diabetic retinopathy. This condition can affect people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and can cause serious complications, including vision loss or blindness.1 Thankfully, a diabetic retinal eye exam is a generally simple, painless procedure that can help you prevent diabetic retinopathy or detect signs early.2In-office diabetic retinal eye examBefore the exam, an eye care professional will dilate your pupils with eye drops. Once your pupils widen about 20 minutes later, the eye care professional will check your visual acuity (sharpness), depth perception and eye movement. They will also examine the back of the eye for signs of diabetic retinopathy. Since diabetes can increase your risk for glaucoma, some exams may include glaucoma testing.3The retinal exam itself generally takes about 10 minutes. If you schedule the exam in-office with an eye care professional, you may get results immediately.4At-home diabetic retinal eye examHumana Medicare Advantage plan members may have the opportunity for an at-home diabetic eye exam. Before the exam, a Humana-approved vendor will contact you to schedule your appointment. Next, an eye care specialist will give you a retinal exam from the comfort of your home. Unlike a traditional exam done at an ophthalmologist or optometrists office, an in-home screening does not require dilating drops and does not impair your vision. Our vendors utilize compact, lightweight fundus cameras that allow their technicians to take high-quality images transmitted to an ophthalmologist for review seamlessly.Once an ophthalmologist has reviewed the images, your results will be mailed to you and your primary care physician (PCP). Humana will also update your records with your exam results.Medicare members who have not completed their diabetic retinal exam within the past year are generally eligible for at-home exams, with some exceptions. Contact your provider to see if you qualify.Humana works with trusted vendors to provide at-home diabetic retinal exams. If you are eligible for an at-home diabetic retinal exam, you may be contacted by one of the following Humana-approved vendors:HealProsVuePointSignifyMatrixIf you have been contacted about an at-home diabetic retinal exam and have questions about your appointment, reach out to the vendor that contacted you. If you would like to schedule the exam on your own, simply decline the request. That information will be recorded in our system, and the vendor wont contact you again.Coverage and costs for a diabetic retinal eye examHumana Medicare Advantage medical plans cover eye exams for diabetic retinopathy once each year if you have diabetes. You dont need a vision plan to receive coverage since the exam is considered preventive medical care. However, the exam must be done by an eye care professional whos legally allowed to do the test in your state. Check the Evidence of Coverage for your plan for more details.How do I receive Go365 rewards for completing the exam?If Go365 is included with your plan, you can submit proof of your exam through Go365.com. Please make sure to submit your proof within 90 days of the exam to receive your Go365 reward for completing the activity. Please note, that you are only eligible for reward reimbursement once per calendar year.