Sharon Kleyne, host of the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water has been researching the subject of dry eye for two decades. Mrs. Kleyne is well aware of the dry eye and eye irritation experienced by motorcyclists and ATV riders (a condition known as "motorcycle dry eye"). The Medical Director of Mrs. Kleyne's Bio-Logic Aqua Research Center, Philip Paden, MD, is an ophthalmologist and former professional motorcycle racer, who has been riding for 40 years and is an authority on motorcycle eye protection and motorcycle dry eye. .
The wind in your face! It's a major reason some people ride motorcycles and many riders are disinclined to do too much to block the wind, beyond wearing eye protection such as sunglasses or face shields (to block wind, bugs and flying rocks).
According to Sharon Kleyne and Dr. Paden, because of wind, solar radiation, exhaust fumes and other factors, motorcycle riding can be extremely dehydrating and to the eyes - even with sunglasses and face shields.
The cause of motorcycle dry eye (or any other dry eye) is too-rapid evaporation of moisture (water) from the eye's tear film. This could result from (among other things) alcohol and drug consumption (including many medications), pollen, dust, cigarette smoke, air pollution, extreme heat or cold, high elevation, solar radiation, road glare, low humidity, exhaust fumes, not drinking enough water, and WIND IN YOUR FACE! Wind is more drying to the eyes when other factors are also present (for example, if you've recently been drinking beer in a smoke-filled bar).
Dry eye symptoms include eye discomfort, burning and itching eyes, blurred vision, headache, eye fatigue, and watery eyes.
Sharon Kleyne and Dr. Paden have the following eye care and eye protection suggestions for motorcyclists and ATV riders:
Researchers have long known that the simplest and most natural way to soothe dry eyes is to add two-to-five millionths of a liter (micro-liters) of water to the tear film's aqueous layer. A commercially viable method of administering water to the tear film in such minute quantities was discovered in 1999. That's the year that Sharon Kleyne's Bio-Logic Aqua Research Center developed Nature's Tears® EyeMist®, a personal, hand-held eye hydration device that supplements tear film moisture with a soothing, all-natural, all-water, pH balanced (6.49) mist.
The mist is applied in seconds and is 100% safe, with no discomfort, blurred vision, saline solution, allergenic preservatives or tear film flooding.
Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water is sponsored by Bio-Logic Aqua Research, whose Nature's Tears® EyeMist® instantly soothes motorcycle dry eye. Nature's Tears® EyeMist® is available at www.BioLogicAqua.com, Amazon.com, drugstore.com and selected drugstores nationwide.
Listen to the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water Mondays, 10 a.m., PST/PDT. The syndicated radio talk show is heard on Voice America/World Talk Radio, Green Talk Network and Apple iTunes. Go to www.SharonKleyneHour.com for written summaries and on-demand replays. Also visit www.naturestears.com, whatistheeye.wordpress.com, "Nature's Tears EyeMist" on Facebook and "Bio-Logic Aqua" on Twitter.
© 2012 Bio-Logic Aqua Research (108)