Dealing with dry eye in cold weather: Drs. Oz and Roizen

on January 07, 2013 at 1:08 PM, updated January 07, 2013 at 1:13 PM
DRSOZROIZENLOGO.JPGDr. Michael Roizen, right, and Dr. Mehmet Oz


The No. 1 trigger is dry eyes, since cold wind increases evaporation of moisture from the top layer of your cornea, exaggerating problems with dryness you may have already. When that happens, your brain sends a message -- "Dry Alert!" -- and orders your tear glands to juice up. If this is what's happening with you, the first potential solution is to wear protective glasses or goggles to keep the wind from drying your eyes. If glasses don't do the trick, you can try using saline eye drops right before you go outside. Then refresh periodically while you're in the cold air. Also, use a humidifier inside, and blink more to refresh your tears.

What triggers dry eye in the first place? Here are some possible causes:



COLD-WEATHER-EYES-TEARS.JPG View full size The first potential solution to tearing eyes is to wear protective glasses or goggles to keep the wind from drying your eyes.  


Two more possibilities:


• Or, it could be from an infection, such as conjunctivitis; that'll require medication for relief.

Give the home remedies a try first. But if they don't work, or if you also have red or sore eyes, any kind of discharge around the rims of your eyes, or you also have dry mouth or unusual joint pain, go see your doctor ASAP.

Health tip of the week: Medical advances hold promise

Here are some remarkable medical "inventions" that we bet you'll hear more about in 2013, and the future.

Cavity-proof teeth: There's a chemical out there that kills bacteria responsible for cavities. Designed by Chilean dentists and dubbed Keep 32 (as in 32 teeth), it's been undergoing tests for seven years and will soon begin human trials.

Scanning without radiation: Combination scanning technologies, such as the current omni-tomography -- an MRI with a CT scan -- greatly reduces radiation exposure. That's a good start. In the future, we're looking forward to further developments in 3-D ultrasound and MRI technologies.

Stem-cell treatments for personalized medicines: Using stem cells from your skin, docs will study your diseased cells in a lab and then tailor treatments that amplify your body's specific strengths and overcome its weaknesses.

A 3-D printer that produces artificial cartilage: Using an inkjet printer and an electro-spinning machine, researchers have created a prototype of a low-cost fabrication process that produces personalized, artificial human tissue needed for your aching joints.

Bring on the New Year!
