News and Views

Watery eyes, particularly in windy, sunny or dry conditions, can be a symptom of ‘dry eye’ and can also be triggered by many medical conditions and taking certain medications.

Gareth Thomas, Head of Sales and Marketing at Altacor, says: “Lubrication of the eye is very sophisticated. The eye is bathed in a film of tears every time you blink. This film has a watery inside contained by an oily outside layer to reduce evaporation, and a lubricant on the innermost layer nearest the eye ball. These delicate layers can easily be disrupted by medication, including the contraceptive pill.”

The characteristic symptom of ‘dry eye’ is scratchy or itchy feeling eyes that look red rimmed. However, the eye can also over compensate resulting in watery eyes. This makes the condition difficult to recognise despite being very easy to treat.

“Insufficient tear volume is the route of the problem, which is why people experience an uncomfortable dry feeling. In many cases the body compensates for the low volume by over-producing tears, which leads to streaming eyes,” Gareth explains.

The specialist ophthalmic-products company has developed a range of products to overcome the problem, including Clinitas Hydrate which can be used overnight to restore the water balance of the tears.

Eloise, mum of two and Housekeeping and Maintenance Manager for a prestigious hotel, found that dry eye was having a major impact on her quality of life:

“It got to the stage where I would put on sunglasses and close my eyes to walk from the house to the car in an attempt to stop my eyes from watering. But still my glove box was full of tissues and I couldn’t use the car’s heating or open the window – any change would make the tears begin. The skin around my eyes was cracked which was very painful and people would often ask what was wrong.

“Before I found out about Clinitas I thought I had tried everything I could – eye drops, sprays, gels, you name it. But none of it worked.”

Eloise got relief from Clinitas Hydrate which adds volume to the tear layer, by holding up to six times its own volume in moisture, so treats the cause of dry eye, not just the symptoms. Its soothing effect lasts for up to six hours, so use before bedtime can help with a good night’s sleep.