Experiencing persistent dry eyes? Your tear ducts may be out of whack. Normally, eyes are full of tears which provide lubrication and antibodies to help protect your eyes and vision from infection. When your tear system isn’t functioning properly, your eyes can become incredibly dry, itchy, irritated, and inflamed. To get your system back on track, here we’ll discuss the thirteen most common causes of dry eyes and how to combat them with effective treatment.
Symptoms of Dry Eyes
Before you can treat dry eyes, it helps to know exactly what you’re dealing with. Dry eye symptoms can show up in a few different ways, and not all of them are as obvious as you’d expect:
- A stinging, burning, or gritty sensation, like something is stuck in your eye
- Stringy mucus in or around the eyes
- Sensitivity to light, whether it’s natural sunlight or fluorescent lighting
- Blurred vision that clears up temporarily after you blink
- Watery eyes, which sounds contradictory, but is actually a common dry eye symptom – your eyes overproduce reflex tears to compensate for the underlying dryness
If any of these sound familiar, chances are your eyes are trying to tell you something.
Common Causes of Dry Eyes
1. Aging
As we age, our bodies undergo several changes. One change is that our eyes naturally slow down the tear production process. This can greatly affect eye health as we age, causing symptoms like dry eyes as we grow older. That’s why dry eye disease is most prevalent in elderly people.
2. Cold Weather
A blustery, cold day can often cause the eyes to tear up to compensate for the dry winter wind. So your eyes may overproduce tears in reaction to the dry air.
3. Medicine
Many medications can cause dry eyes as a side effect. This includes antihistamines, sleeping pills, pain relievers, antidepressants, certain blood pressure medications, birth control pills, and muscle relaxants.
4. Hormonal Changes
Some women find that when they enter menopause or become pregnant, they begin to suffer from dry eye syndrome. Often, hormone changes can also impact your eyes. The changes in your sex and thyroid hormones specifically increase your chances of getting dry eyes.
5. Disease
Certain diseases can also impact your ability to create tears. If you have a condition like Sjogren’s syndrome, collagen vascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, or diabetes, your chance of getting dry eyes greatly increases.
6. Caffeine
Caffeine decreases circulation in your blood vessels, which can lead to a number of health issues, including dehydration. If you’re a heavy coffee or tea drinker, you may experience dry eyes as a result.
7. Hangover
Believe it or not, a hangover can also affect your eye moisture levels. Excessive drinking can leave your body dehydrated since alcohol is a diuretic. So it’s not uncommon for the eyes to dry out, leading to blurred vision and even inflammation. Women who also forget to take off their makeup can wake up with blepharitis, an uncomfortable condition where the rims of the eyelids become swollen and itchy.
8. Excessive Computer Use
Sitting in front of a computer for extended periods of time can be another culprit of drying out your eyes. When we concentrate on something intensely, we tend to forget to blink, which reduces moisture levels and causes eye strain.
9. Dry Conditions
Is your home often dry inside? A decrease in indoor air humidity is also a common cause. Leaving on your air conditioner, ceiling fans, or forced heating systems for hours on end can lower tear evaporation and lead to irritated dryness.
10. Eyelid Issues
Several eyelid issues can also lead to dry eye syndrome, such as lagophthalmos, which is a condition that prevents the eyelid from properly blinking or closing completely.
11. Allergies
Seasonal or environmental allergies are a common, and often overlooked, cause of dry eyes. If your irritation seems to flare up out of nowhere, particularly during pollen season, talk to your doctor about whether antihistamine eye drops could help.
12. Prolonged or Overnight Contact Lens Wear
Wearing contact lenses for extended periods, especially sleeping in them, can dry out your eyes considerably. Giving your eyes regular contact-free breaks throughout the day can help restore moisture.
13. Vitamin A Deficiency
A diet low in vitamin A can also contribute to irritated, dry eyes. Foods like fish, spinach, eggs, and broccoli can help, or ask your doctor about eye drops formulated with vitamin A.
The Two Types of Dry Eye
Not all dry eye is caused the same way, and knowing which type you have can help point you toward the right treatment. There are two main categories:
- Aqueous-deficient dry eye: your lacrimal glands simply aren’t producing enough tears to keep your eyes properly lubricated.
- Evaporative dry eye: your tears evaporate too quickly, most often due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), a condition where the oil glands along your eyelids don’t function properly. This is actually the most common form of dry eye, though it’s rarely talked about.
Many people experience a combination of both, which is one more reason a proper eye exam is worth the visit.
How to Treat Dry Eyes
Artificial Tear Drops
The most common treatment for dry eyes is eye drops. These can help add more moisture back to prevent your eyes from drying out. There are a few different products—including prescription or steroid drops—to help promote tear production. So it’s best to talk to your doctor or optometrist to discuss the best option for your condition.
Block Ducts and Unblock Glands
If your situation is severe, your doctor may decide to close off your tear ducts that drain the tears from your eyes. Often, a temporary plug is used before a permanent plug is attempted. A plug is used to increase your tear level by blocking the area where your tears would drain. Your doctor may prefer to use Lipiflow, a medical device designed to unblock blocked glands that produce the oil in your tears. This will help to keep your eyes moist and prevent evaporation of your tears.
Moisture Chamber Glasses
Glasses can protect your eyes from dryness as well. Moisture chamber glasses can give you better protection from the dry air inside and cold winter air outdoors. These are designed to rest comfortably around your eye socket to help slow down the evaporation of tears and act as a protective barrier against the elements. You get more eye moisture and less soreness and irritation.
Contact Lenses For Dry Eyes
Many people also suffer from dry eye symptoms when they’re wearing their contacts. Switching to a different type of lens that has been developed to reduce CLIDE (contact lens-induced dry eye symptoms) can make your eyes feel more comfortable.
Lifestyle Treatments
Alongside medical treatment, a few everyday habits can make a real difference:
- Warm compresses and eyelid massage: applying gentle heat and massaging your eyelids can help unblock meibomian glands, similar to what Lipiflow accomplishes in-office.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: found in fish, walnuts, and flaxseed, omega-3s support tear production.
- The 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes of screen time, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It gives your eyes a break and encourages more natural blinking.
- Staying hydrated and running a humidifier in dry indoor air can also go a long way toward keeping your eyes comfortable.
When to See an Eye Doctor
Most mild dry eye can be managed with over-the-counter drops and a few lifestyle adjustments. It’s time to book an appointment if:
- Artificial tears haven’t helped after a few weeks of consistent use
- You’re experiencing pain, significant light sensitivity, or changes in your vision
- You suspect an underlying condition, like Sjögren’s syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis, might be contributing
A comprehensive eye exam can determine exactly which type of dry eye you’re dealing with and how severe it is, which makes all the difference in choosing the right treatment.
To learn more about the available treatment methods for you and your dry eye symptoms, contact us at Laurier Optical.