Causes of Dry Eye
Dry eye is a widespread condition that affects millions of people worldwide. The condition is caused by one of two conditions:
- Insufficient production of tears (aqueous dry eye)
- Quick evaporation of tears (evaporative dry eye)
Tears are very important to eye health: they help protect the eyes from foreign debris by keeping them lubricated. Over-the-counter eye drops may provide temporary relief for occasional dry eyes, but if your dry eye condition persists, you may need help from a dry eye specialist. The root cause of your dry eye must be identified in order to provide the proper treatment.
Reasons Tear Film Can Be Impacted
There are many different reasons why tear film can be affected, leading to dry eye:
- Poor tear quality in any of the tear layers
- Meibomian gland dysfunction
- Normal aging process
- Long hours on a computer
- Side effects of medications
- Medical conditions
- Hormonal changes
- Laser vision surgery
- Droopy eyelids
- Second-hand or direct contact with smoking
- Poor environmental conditions (wind, dry air)
- Tear gland damage
