New spray designed to relieve discomfort of dry eyes

Many of us find that we suffer from dry or irritated eyes. Our modern office based lifestyle is partly to blame - air conditioning, central heating and staring at computer monitors can all lead to dry, tired eyes. Other possible causes include wearing contact lenses and laser eye surgery.

Our eyes have a natural coating of tears (the tear film) that protects our eyes and keeps them moist. Dry eyes occur when this film is disrupted, which results in the moisture in our eyes evaporating. The new product, Optrex ActiMist, is made from the same ingredients as make up our tears.

ActiMist is a spray, but the clever bit is that you close your eyes when you spray them! The ActiMist collects in the corner of the eyelids, and is transferred to the eye surface during the natural eyelid movements of blinking

Because it is a spray you can use it at any time, including when wearing contact lenses or even makeup. Another plus is that you don't need to touch your eye, so there is no risk of infection - and as many people find it very difficult to touch their eyes this product is ideal for them.

If you do suffer from dry or irritated eyes, here are some handy hints:

• If you are working at a computer, take regular breaks. Staring at the monitor reduces your natural blink rate, so take a rest and do some blinking.
• If you are in an air-conditioned office, use a humidifier or put an open bowl of water nearby to increase the moisture content of the air around you.

Optrex ActiMist is available from leading pharmacies and supermarkets. More information is available at www.optrex.co.uk

This article was published on Fri 15 May 2009