Tears are essential to eye health and vision. Tears keep your eye’s surface moist and wash away dirt and debris that can cause infections and obstruct your vision. If you have dry eye, your eyes are not producing enough quality tears to lubricate your eyes. In some cases, dry eye causes overproduction of watery tears that drain improperly, further aggravating dry eye symptoms. At New Vision Optical Wilmette in Wilmette, our optometry specialist can detect dry eye syndrome during a routine eye exam so you can get treatment. Here are some of the main causes of dry eye syndrome.
Age
As you age, your eyes produce fewer tears, which can lead to chronic dry eye. Chronic dry eye can cause your eyes to feel dry, irritated and gritty, making it difficult to enjoy clear vision.
Gender
Women are more susceptible to dry eye than men due to hormonal changes in their body when they become pregnant, use oral contraceptives, or go through menopause.
Health Conditions
Certain health conditions, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid problems, and among others, have been known to affect tear production, putting you at risk of dry eye.
Medications
Certain types of medicines like antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants, and blood pressure drugs may reduce tear production, making you more prone to dry eye syndrome.
Environmental Elements
Overexposure to outdoor elements like wind, smoke, pollen, and dry climates can make tears evaporate more quickly. This reduces moisture in your eyes and causing dry eye. Indoor heating systems can have the same results on your eyes. Try wearing protective eyewear to protect your eyes from any environmental elements.
Digital Device Use
Blinking helps produce tears to lubricate your eyes. If your work requires extensive computer use, you could be prone to dry eye due to blinking less while staring at your computer screen for hours on end. Try to limit screen time so that your eyes can have a break.
Dry Eye Treatment
For most people, artificial tears or prescription eye drops will suffice to manage dry eye symptoms. We can also recommend other optometry procedures for treating your dry eye, if needed, after evaluating your eye condition from our optometrist.
See Your Wilmette Optometrist for Dry Eye Treatment
To schedule an eye exam for dry eye diagnosis and treatment, contact New Vision Optical Wilmette in Wilmette at 847-230-4796 today. We can give you all the necessary information that you will need for your eye health.