Many people suffering from dry eye do not realize how common an ailment it is. In the United States alone, there are more than 16 million people with an official diagnosis of dry eye. On top of that, there are probably many other people who suffer from dry eye even though they have not received an official diagnosis.
Of course, if more people understood the most common dry eye causes, there might not be so many people suffering from dry eye. Once you have figured out what is causing your dry eye, it is often relatively simple to figure out how to treat it.
On top of that, there is a fairly short list of common causes of dry eye. The vast majority of people suffering from dry eye have it because of one of these main causes.
So what exactly are the most common causes of dry eye? Read on to learn all about the most important causes of dry eye to understand!
1. Getting Older
As people get older, every part of the body becomes more susceptible to ailments of one kind or another. This applies to the eye like any other part of the body.
When you think about it, asking why somebody’s eye is dry is almost the wrong question. The more natural question is how the eye remains moist at all. After all, it is constantly exposed to the air.
Of course, the answer is that the body has built-in mechanisms to provide constant moisturization to the eyes. Tear ducts constantly produce tiny amounts of tears to keep the eyes from drying out.
As people get older, the tear ducts can often start to work less efficiently. As a result, they stop staving off the natural drying process you would expect when you expose something wet to the air.
Unfortunately, that means that there is no specific way to resolve this problem. Many people are able to manage symptoms by adding artificial tears. They do the job that aged tear ducts start failing to do.
2. Medicinal Side Effects
Sometimes, the medicine you are using can interfere with the production of tears. The end result can be chronically dry eyes.
If your medicine is causing your eyes to dry out, then one easy way to eliminate your dry eyes is simply to stop taking the medication.
Of course, this is not an option for everybody. However, you might still be able to find a solution. Sometimes you can enjoy the necessary effects of your medicine while still lowering the dose enough to stop causing your eyes to dry out.
Alternatively, there might be another medicine that provides the same beneficial effect. If it does not also cause the same negative side effects of dry eyes, then switching to this medicine can be a great way to solve your problem.
If you can’t do anything else, you can always use artificial tears to keep your eyes dry as long as you are using your medicine.
3. Eye Strain From Screens
People are looking at screens more and more. At the end of the day, screens are an artificial and somewhat unnatural thing to look at. Looking at them for many hours a day is not something that humans are biologically designed for.
As a result, excess looking at screens can cause eye strain and even dry eyes. Many people are able to solve this problem simply by remembering to blink more often. This counters people’s tendency to blink less when they are staring at screens.
4. Laser Surgery Side Effects
Laser surgery can sometimes cause chronically dry eyes. However, in most cases, this problem resolves itself.
If you are unlucky, you might end up with dry eyes that last for months or even years. In those cases, you might have to use eye drops to prevent discomfort and pain.
5. Menopause
Hormones affect every part of the body. Among other things, menopause can sometimes lead to dry eyes. There is not that much you can do to eliminate this problem other than waiting it out.
To manage symptoms, you can use artificial tears as you can for anything else.
6. Lack of Proper Nutrition
There is an old myth that says that vitamin A can help people to see in the dark. Although this is not true, vitamin A is important for the health of your eyes.
If you lack vitamin A, it can lead to dry eyes. If that is the cause of your own dry eyes, then you can solve the problem simply by regularly eating things like carrots or broccoli. You can also take vitamin A supplements.
7. Exposure to the Elements
Sometimes, people have dry eyes simply because they experience unusually harsh weather conditions. If you are constantly outside on cold and windy days, you shouldn’t be surprised if your eyes start to become dry.
Protecting your eyes from the elements can help keep them from becoming dry. Goggles or glasses can protect you from the wind.
The more you understand what causes dry eyes and the common remedies for dry eyes, the more you might be interested in finding drops for dry eyes or another treatment to reduce dry eyes symptoms. Receiving a prescription for dry eye treatment can sometimes relieve dry eyes that have caused discomfort for many years.
Understand the Most Important Dry Eye Causes
We hope learning about the most important dry eye causes has been helpful for you. Many people struggle with dry eyes for many years without realizing how helpful it can be to figure out what is causing their problem. Once you know the cause of your dry eye, you can often easily find the solution.
That makes learning more about the causes of dry eye an investment in your future health and comfort. To learn more about the latest information in medicine, technology, and more, check out our other articles!
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