Dry eyes occur when your eyes cannot produce enough tears to remain lubricated and moisturized. Various triggers can cause tears to be unstable and inadequate. The condition can cause much discomfort and you can experience stinging and burning in your eyes. 

Medication

A tear comprises a mix of water to moisten the eye, oils to lubricate, and mucus to help with even spreading. It also has proteins and antibodies that protect the eyes from infections. Taking some medications can trigger chronic dry eyes by reducing mucus production in your tears. Such drugs include antidepressants, diuretics, and antihistamines. Beta-blockers that treat hypertension also cause dry eyes.

Talk to your eye doctor if you experience eye dryness after taking medication. You can ask them to prescribe an alternative medicine that cannot affect the level of lubrication in your eyes.

Aging

Anyone can experience dry eyes. However, the condition is more common among older individuals. The production of tears reduces with age, and most people above 50 are at a high risk of getting dry eyes. 

Dry eyes triggered by age are not preventable. However, artificial tears can give your eyes extra lubrication to relieve dryness.

Diseases

Autoimmune diseases like lupus and arthritis cause dry eyes. You can improve your dry eye symptoms if your doctor diagnoses them early for treatment. You may need corticosteroid or immunosuppressant drugs as treatment. Controlling your blood sugar level can also manage diabetes. You can do so through medication, diet, and lifestyle. 

Another autoimmune disorder that can cause dry eyes is Sjogren’s syndrome. It causes the white blood cells to attack your tear glands and salivary glands. As a result, you get to have reduced tear production. 

Prescription lubrication drops and over-the-counter medications can help in treatment. You may also have to use a prescribed steroid eye drop. If the eye drops do not work, you may need surgery to preserve your tears using silicone plugs.

Laser Surgery

Some laser surgery patients experience dry eyes for the first time after the procedure. During the surgery, some nerves in your cornea get cut, causing your eyes to produce fewer tears. Usually, this type of eye dryness is temporary and can resolve after a couple of days or weeks. However, it is ideal to use lubricating eye drops to moisten your eyes.

Environmental Factors
 

Some environmental factors can affect the rate at which your tears evaporate. Windy, hot, or dry weather can cause quick tear evaporation. Air conditioning or indoor heating can dry eyes. Using contact lenses, smoke exposure, and being at high altitudes can also trigger dry eyes.

Spending long hours using your computer can cause dry eyes. Most people who stare at their monitors for a long-time experience tension headaches and eyestrain. Doing so also affects tears and causes dry eyes because you blink less frequently. Your tears get to evaporate faster than they should.

Blinking while using a computer helps reduce eye dryness by lubricating your eyes. You can also take a break from the computer to blink repeatedly so your eyes can become wet.

For more on dry eye triggers, visit Seaside Eyecare Optometry at our office in San Clemente, California. Call (949) 493-2269 to book an appointment today.