What causes dry eye?

Dry eye can occur when basal tear production decreases, tear evaporation increases, or tear composition is not balanced.

Factors that can contribute to dry eye include the following:

• Age and gender: 
  • Advancing age is a risk factor for declines in tear production. Dry eye is more common in people age 50 years or older.
  • Women are more likely to develop dry eye. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and after menopause have been linked with dry eye. Women also have an increased risk for autoimmune disorders.
• Using a computer: People who use a computer tend to blink less frequently than normal. This can cause increased evaporation of tears, and hence dry eyes. Positioning your monitor below eye level can help, as it allows the upper eyelid to cover more of the eye’s surface. Being aware of blink rate, air circulation and glare can also help.
• Wearing contact lenses: Dry eye is most common among soft contact lens wearers, and can cause irritation, protein deposits and red eyes.
• Use of some medications: Medications like decongestants, antihistamines, oral contraceptives, antidepressants or eye drops for ‘red eyes’, these may contribute to dry eye symptoms.
• Diseases: Some diseases like arthritis, diabetes, asthma, Vitamin A deficiency, thyroid disease and lupus are associated with dry eye. Sjögren’s Syndrome is the name given to the combination of symptoms that includes dry eyes, dry mouth and arthritis.
• Inflammation of eyelid glands & eyelash follicles: Inflammation of the eyelid glands (called meibornian glands) and eyelash follicles can compromise the quality of the tear film, which causes tears to evaporate more quickly. This is sometimes caused by over-growth of bacteria normally found on the eyelids.
• Environmental conditions :  Windy, smoky, or dry environments increase tear evaporation.
• Seasonal allergies can contribute to dry eye.