Nagging eye dryness can turn everyday tasks, like driving or reading, into extreme challenges. And in the most severe cases, dry eye can drastically reduce your quality of life.

Ready to get some relief? The first step is to get to the “why” of it all. Why are your eyes so dry? In this article, we’ll share the most prominent dry eye disorder causes. The insights you’ll discover in this article will be helpful as you’re surveying potential remedies.

Blepharitis

Blepharitis is a little-known dry eye cause. It’s characterized by eyelid inflammation caused by clogged oil glands. Left untreated, this inflammation, flaking, and crusting can inhibit meibomian gland function, leading to issues with tear quality and quantity. This, of course, ends with dry eye.

Learn about 3 effective blepharitis home remedies and treatments here. 

Aging

As you get older, your eyes change in big ways. In fact, once you reach 50, your risk of developing dry eye increases substantially every five years. As your tear glands change, so do tear production and quality. These combined factors lead to dry eye in some cases.

Because everyone is different - including their eyes - you’re not automatically guaranteed to develop dry eye.

Smoking

Smoking causes a myriad of bodily issues, but did you know that it can also cause dry eye? As surprising as it might sound, cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, many of which can irritate your eyes and negatively affect your ability to produce enough healthy tears. Per WebMD, smokers are twice as likely to develop dry eye compared to non-smokers. 

Note: Just because you’re not the one who’s smoking doesn’t mean that you’re exempt from dry eye. Just being in the vicinity of cigarette smoke can trigger dry eye symptoms.  

If this issue rings true in your life, ditching the smoke can bring you relief.  

Eye Procedures

Certain eye procedures, such as LASIK and cataract surgery, carry a risk of dry eye. In the case of LASIK, dry eye is the most common symptom reported by patients both immediately post-procedure and in the long term. The good news is that dryness from LASIK often improves with time. 

Dry eye is also a very real consequence of cataract surgery, as the procedure can throw off your tear film (the composition of your tears). This can make it hard for your eyes to lubricate themselves - hence, dry eye. The good news is that dry eye from cataract surgery doesn’t usually stick around for long. However, some may experience it for an extended time and require professional treatment. 

Note: Many other eye procedures can cause dry eye. 

If you’ve recently had an eye procedure or will be having one in the future, we recommend speaking with your doctor for assistance. There are many dry eye treatments you can try to get some relief. 

Dry Climate

Whether you live in a dry climate or spend a lot of time in air-conditioned spaces, your eyes may often feel dry, gritty, and irritated. Though you can’t always control the climate, if you’re hanging out at home, setting up a humidifier could be just what your eyes need. A humidifier increases the humidity levels in the surrounding air. Many experience quick and substantial relief with a humidifier.

Lack of Eye Breaks

Most of us spend many hours on our mobile devices daily; such heavy use holds some serious consequences for our eyes. Unfortunately, we don’t blink as often as we should when staring at device screens, leading to eye strain and often dry eye. Blinking is what disperses tears across the eye’s surface. So, if you’re not taking enough breaks, it’s easy to see how your eyes can become dry. 

The thought of significantly limiting or avoiding digital devices can be too much for some. One way to get around this issue and help reduce dry eye is to begin using the 20-20-20 rule. You’ll get a timer and set it to 20 minutes. After the timer goes off, step away from your computer or device and look at something that’s 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Doing so will give your eyes a break, limiting eye strain and prompting your eyes to recharge. 

Vitamin D Deficiency

Did you know that a vitamin D deficiency can cause dry eye? Research has shown that dry eye sufferers have lower vitamin D levels. So, if you’re not getting enough vitamin D in your diet, it may be time to make a change. If you believe that a vitamin D deficiency could be contributing to your dry eye problem, you have options: 

1. Get on a daily vitamin D supplement. Be sure to consult a doctor before starting any supplement. 

2. Increase your vitamin D levels through your diet. Salmon, milk, mushrooms, and orange juice all have significant vitamin D. 

Improper Eye Hygiene

When you complete your face-washing routine, do you pay special attention to your eyelids and lashes? Do you take off your eye makeup before turning in for the night? If not, this could be the cause of your dry eye. Dirt, debris, and excess oils can cause blepharitis (mentioned earlier).  

The best way to clean your eyelids is to follow the below steps: 

1. Scrub your hands with soap and warm water.

2. Grab a clean cotton round and load it up with an eyelid-cleaning solution. 

3. Shut your eyes and wipe your top eyelid with the cotton round. It’s best to use horizontal and circular motions to get the entire lid.  

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 on your lower lid. 

5. Rinse your eyes with clean water. 

The right eyelid washing frequency for you will depend on your specific case. If you’re having a bad dry eye flareup, you may need more daily eyelid washes than you would otherwise. 

Contact Lenses

Contact lenses are often associated with dry eye. And it’s because these lenses can block the flow of oxygen to your eyes, impacting their ability to make tears. Many will have no problems with contacts, while others struggle with ongoing dry eye issues. 

 There are a few other ways that contact lens use might cause dry eye disorder: 

• Using the wrong contact lens solution. 

• Wearing the contacts overnight or for longer than prescribed. 

• Poor lens care. 

Here are a few ways to reduce dry eye with contact lenses: 

• Talk to your doctor about your contact lens material - some materials are better suited to dry eye, including silicone hydrogel lenses or low water content lenses. 

• Follow the contact lens hygiene guidelines outlined by your eye doctor. 

• Give your contact lenses a break here and there – you can wear glasses during your breaks.

• Rub your contacts daily with your contact lens solution to get them truly clean. 

• Use artificial tears suitable for contacts to top up on moisture as needed. 

Health Issues

Sometimes, your dry eyes could be the result of a health condition. Health problems like Sjogren syndrome, graves ophthalmopathy, diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid disease are a few of them. If you have one of these conditions or believe that your condition could be making your eyes dry, it’s important to discuss this with your doctor. 

Certain Medications

Several classes of medication have been associated with dry eye to varying degrees. Some of them include antidepressants (Prozac, Cymbalta, etc.), antihistamines (Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, etc.), and diuretics/water pills. People who are on medications could benefit from speaking to a medical or eye care professional for more information. They may be able to change your prescription to a drug that doesn’t make your eyes dry.

Allergies

Do you have allergies? They might be the key to your persistent eye dryness. It’s not uncommon for seasonal allergies to cause your eyes to produce excessive tears that evaporate prematurely. Allergies may also cause inflammation of your conjunctiva, the membrane that covers the white part of your eyeball and the inside portion of your eyelid. This can also lead to dry eye.

Speak to a doctor about how to best control your allergies, but be sure to mention dry eye disorder during the consultation. Remember, antihistamines and decongestants (commonly prescribed for allergies) can cause dry eye.

What Should You Do Next?

If you have any additional questions about dry eye causes, it’s worth consulting your local eye doctor for additional assistance. They can give you tailored answers based on your specific situation. If you’re local to the Charlotte, NC area, text or call us at 704-766-1130 to schedule an appointment for a dry eye evaluation. We hope you found all the information you were looking for, and we wish you the best with your eye health.

 

Related articles: 

• 8 Sneaky Dry Eye Symptoms You Could Be Missing

• Dry Eye Syndrome Treatments: From Home Remedies to Professional Solutions