6 simple ways you can beat dry eyes

Tears aren't just for sadness and joy. They're your eyes' first line of defense against infection and damage. If you experience dry eyes, one of these simple remedies could help.

• Your normal "blink rate" is between 17 to 22 blinks per minute. It can drop to as few as four when you're doing anything that requires intense visual focus.
• In one study, people playing computer games blinked just once every two to three minutes.
• Keeping your eyes wide open allows the protective film of tears to evaporate. To protect your eyes.
• Remember to blink whenever you turn a page in your book or check your rear-view mirror while driving.
• If you're working at a computer, use the 20-20 rule: give your eyes a 20-second rest every 20 minutes. Look at something across the room and be sure to blink.

• Looking up exposes more of the surface of your eyes to the air.
• Computer use dries out eyes more than reading a book does. When you read, you tend to look down, which partially closes your eyes.
• Raise your chair or lower your monitor so you can see the top third of the screen while looking straight ahead.

• Women who eat the most good fats have the lowest risk of dry eyes.
• In fact, those who have less than one weekly serving of rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids are up to 68 percent more likely to have dry eyes.
• Get your omega-3s from a variety of sources. Salmon, halibut, sardines, flaxseed, soybeans, pumpkin seeds and walnuts are all good sources.
• You can also try fish-oil capsules with a total of one gram of DHA and EPA per day. It may take up to three months to notice a difference.

• In one study. researchers checked the lifestyle habits and eye health of several thousand people.
• They found that current smokers had an 82 percent higher risk of dry eyes than non-smokers.

• People with rosacea have a 50 percent chance of developing ocular rosacea. This ailment can cause dry eyes, frequent sties and the feeling that there's something in your eyes.
• Tell your eye doctor that you have rosacea and ask him to check for this type, too.
• The doctor can also help treat blepharitis — inflammation of the eyelids — as well as eyelids that curl outward or inward with age.
• Both conditions can change the way tears spread across your eye.

• Keep artificial tears on hand for times when you'll be in any place with extremely dry air.
• Eye experts recommend choosing preservative-free drops if you'll be using them more than four to six times a day. Otherwise, your eyes may become become inflamed.

Each time you blink, a new layer of moisture rolls across the surface of your eyes. Or at least it should. If tears evaporate too quickly or aren't renewed often enough, be sure to talk to a medical professional.