Jennifer Aniston reveals the one health condition she didn't know she had
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From "Friends" to "Horrible Bosses," "Marley and Me" to "Along Came Polly," it seems like there's nothing Jennifer Aniston can't do. Drama or comedy, businesswoman and philanthropist, Aniston has long been hailed as one of the most successful and impactful actresses of our generation.
She's been on a roll since her breakthrough performance as Rachel Green, but behind the scenes and at home, she was combatting a condition even she didn't know about.
"A couple of years ago I was doing an interview with Bobbi Brown, the makeup artist, and she asked me if I had a bad habit with anything. As she asked that question I was literally putting an eyedrop in my eye. It was the fifth time in the hour that I used my artificial tears," the actress explained.
It was only after she spoke with the experts from Shire that she realized that she might have a chronic condition. "I had never heard of dry eye --- I didn't know it was a thing."
So, she went to her doctor for confirmation. "He did his test that tells you how much water was in your eyes," Aniston recalled. "Most people are like 9 or 10... I was basically a 2."
More than 26 million Americans suffer from chronic dry eye, but many more aren't aware of the symptoms -- and Aniston, along with the Eyelove campaign, hopes to combat that.
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According to Shire, 45 percent of people diagnosed with the condition didn't think their symptoms were worth bringing up to their doctor. Almost 75 didn't even realize that watery eyes (ironically) were a symptom, nor did they believe redness and itching could signal a problem as well.
"Dry eye can be mistaken for the need to get new glasses, change in your contact lenses, allergy responses or infections inside the eye," Dr. Marc Bloomstein, OD, clarified. Plus, as technology use becomes more and more common, it seems believe the use of screens exacerbates the problem.
Like many, Aniston didn't know that dry eyes such a prevalent condition. "I started thinking back to the years that I had been dealing with this issue that I've had forever. I just chalked it up to that my eyes were sensitive...or it was weather changes or seasonal." She even thought it might be her makeup or beauty routine that was irritating her eyes.
And after doing some research, she realized didn't have to just live with the condition. "If you're having a stomach ache or if you have a cold, if you have some sort of health issue, you go to the doctor to figure out what it is and how to remedy it," Aniston explained. "I never thought there was any such thing as eye health. For me, it's created so much more freedom in my days."
Since starring in the Eyelove campaign and telling her own story, Aniston has seen a spike in awareness about the condition.
"There was such a positive response from the [Shire eye love] commercial and campaign that my doctor told me he can't believe how many people have been asking him if they have dry eye!"
You can find more information on symptoms of the condition here.
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