Common Causes of Dry Eye

If you are suffering from dry eye, you may experience constant eye irritation, redness, and grittiness in your eyes. If you experience this on a regular basis, you could be suffering from chronic dry eye syndrome. If this only happens once in a while, the cause could be as simple as too much wind exposure. Regardless of the cause of your dry eyes, you should make sure you get a diagnosis and treatment. At Eye Site, serving Katy & Houston, TX, our experts will provide the proper treatment for your dry eyes.

What Causes Dry Eye? 

While many things can cause dry eye, here are a few of the most common factors.

Age 

One of the most common reasons individuals suffer from dry eyes is age. The older you get, the less tears your tear ducts will be able to produce. This can cause eyes to dry out faster and more often than they did in past years. This is more common in individuals over the age of 50. If age is the cause of your dry eye symptoms, our optometrist may suggest artificial tears to relieve some discomforts.

Surgery or Medication 

If you have recently had eye surgery or are taking certain medications, it can cause your eyes to become dryer than normal. Procedures such as laser eye surgery can easily lead to dry eyes due to the cutting of nerves in the cornea. This will cause your eyes to produce fewer tears. This will usually work itself out in a couple of days.

Some medications, such as diuretics and antidepressants, can cause less secretion of oil, water, and mucus, which is what your tears are made of. If you are taking any new medications and have developed dry eyes, our eye doctor may recommend using artificial tears.

Vitamin Deficiency 

Vitamin deficiency, specifically vitamin A, can cause eye dryness and other eye complications. You can fix this issue by taking vitamin A supplements or eating more foods with vitamin A in them.

Hormones

Hormonal changes in the body can cause your tear production to decrease, which will lead to dry eyes. Many women going through menopause or pregnancy will experience symptoms of dry eye.

Schedule an Appointment for Dry Eye Treatment

If you are suffering from dry eye, we can help. At Eye Site, serving Katy & Houston, TX, our optometry experts will provide the proper treatment for dry eye. Call us today to schedule an appointment.