Staring through all the patients’ paperwork, medications, computer screens, plus a lack of fluid and sleep can lead to tired and tearing eyes for nurses. And with the weather turning colder, a brisk walk can already produce a tearing effect. It obviously isn’t the temperature. It’s the dryness. What are the solutions? Let’s look at the eye itself and get to the bottom of one of the prevalent health problems for nurses.
A Look at the Human Eye
We begin with a brief understanding of the eye. The eye is a sac of fluid with two lenses which focus light at the rear of the retina. It has the highest metabolism in the body and requires about 25% of our nutritional intake; it cannot store its own nutrition and therefore depends on the kindness of the liver to be the storage unit.
The tear is the lubricant of the eye. When the nutrition and molecular structure of the tear changes, the eyes dry out, causing the body to overproduce tears. Occasionally, the tear can become sticky from this change, and clog drainage ducts in the eyes, resulting in the appearance of excess tearing. Dry, teary eyes are a symptom of potential trouble; studies document the correlation between eye ailments and heart disease. They are a symptom alerting you of the depletion of nutrients and the mess in the liver.
Causes of and Cures for Dry Eyes
The three most common causes of dry eyes are: Omega 3 deficiency, prescription and over the counter drugs, and liver toxicity.
All our cell membranes are made up of Omega-3 fatty acids—a combo of DHA and EPA; DHA is the primary structural component and EPA is the physiological component that makes cells—including tears—less sticky. With our heavy use and intake of Omega-6 oils (olive oil, vegetable oils), we have lost the balance of essential oils that our bodies require. So take a good Omega 3 (hemp, flax, fish oil) or 3-6-9 supplement to support eye, brain and joint health.
Liver toxicity is of acute importance to the eyes. As we get older, we compromise the liver’s capacity to do its job properly. We encounter stress in nursing, eat poorly, and become exposed to environmental toxins. If you have taken over the counter remedies, prescription meds, or been exposed to environmental toxins – which I dare say we all have – then you have junk in the proverbial storage trunk. Be acutely tuned-in to whether or not your symptoms began after adding a new prescription drug.
Clean out the storage unit! Support the hardest working organ you have—the liver. Clean house by replacing artificial sweeteners (neurotoxins that are particularly annoying to tear film), lowering your animal protein intake (high protein diets are exponentially hard on the liver), and cutting out fast and packaged foods, opting instead for whole foods.
Choose colorful whole foods keying in on the beta carotenes—green, red, and yellow fruits and vegetables. Lutein, which seems to be the most effective in supporting eye health, is found in dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach and collard greens, as well as in egg yolks. Zeaxanthin is another caratinoid found in red and yellow veggies that supports eye health.
Stop smoking! The incidence of eye problems increases by 100% for smokers.
A friend recently added a new cholesterol-lowering drug to her ‘health’ regimen; the drug doesn’t allow for the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. She has developed a recent onset of dry eyes. Is it possible that the drug is preventing the absorption of other nutrients, thereby changing the structural makeup of her tears, and as a result causing the dry eye to tear? In light of what you just learned, it is a valid observation at the very least.
So dry your tears naturally, and be vigilant through clear eyes regarding your health, especially since you’re a nurse. The eyes are not just the window to the soul, but also the window to wellness within.