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Summer is the best season for many people due to its hot weather and beautiful skies. For many, it is about vacations, beaches, holiday trips, and long and short drives. Unfortunately for others, it is a constant reminder of dry eyes that feel itchy, gritty, burning, and uncomfortable. Below are five ways to help you prevent dry eye in the summer so you can enjoy the season.

Eye exams are tests that assess your vision. They also check your ability to focus and discern objects. Comprehensive eye exams take it a notch higher and check your eye health. Our team at Houston Dry Eye Clinic makes sure to get the full picture with the various technologies we utilize during your comprehensive eye exam.

Dry eye is a condition where tears fail to produce enough oil, water, or mucin to keep eyes moist. Individuals with the condition experience symptoms such as eye dryness and redness, stinging, burning, and blurry vision. Contact lenses sit on the eye surface, not allowing the eye to breathe as it should.

Our eyes rely on a thin layer of tear film to protect them from bacteria and other harmful substances, keep them comfortable, and enable us to see clearly. Unfortunately, some people don’t have enough tear film, or the quality of their tear film is compromised to the degree that is it no longer effective. This is known as dry eye.

Everyone should undergo regular comprehensive eye exams as they form a crucial part of preventative eyecare. They aren’t only used to check the quality of your vision or whether you need a new prescription, but also to assess the health of your eyes. This allows for early detection of any problems or diseases which could have long term consequences for your vision.

If you are interested in getting contact lenses, you will need to undergo a contact lens exam in addition to your typical comprehensive eye exam. Even if you've already had a fitting for glasses, you will still need an individual contact lens exam, as the prescriptions are not the same.

Intense pulsed light only treated skin conditions such as acne in the past. Now it works as a treatment for dry eyes. It filters light to use certain light wavelengths that are optimal for healing. The patient's eyes remain closed and protected during treatment. The IPL light flashes like a photo camera on the skin surrounding your eyelids. The light penetrates the meibomian glands that surround your eyes.

If your eyes do not have enough tears, you could have dry eye syndrome. You can tell your eyes do not have enough tears if you often experience a stinging or gritty sensation in your eyes. Other signs include producing a stringy secretion in or around your eyes and light sensitivity.

Eyelashes play an important role in protecting the eyes. They help prevent dirt and other foreign objects from getting into the eyes. They also sense touch and help activate the blinking function. Apart from offering protection, eyelashes can help enhance the physical appearance. 

Color vision deficiency, also known as color blindness, is more common than you might expect. Although many people think that being color blind means that you can’t see color at all, that’s not the case. Being unable to see any color, known as complete or total color deficiency, is much rarer. Most people who have color deficiency can see come colors, but struggle to tell the difference between certain shades.