Dry eye is something many people experience, but not everyone realizes it can be a symptom of a larger issue. Whether it’s a mild annoyance or something that significantly impacts your daily life, dealing with dry, gritty, irritated eyes can be frustrating. The cause of dry eye can be as simple as environmental factors—such as too much screen time or spending time in a dry climate—but it can also be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Let’s take a closer look at how certain health conditions can lead to dry eye and what you can do about it.
How health conditions can cause dry eye
Several medical conditions can lead to dry eye by affecting how your body produces or maintains tears. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Autoimmune diseases: Conditions like Sjögren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus can affect your body’s ability to produce tears.
- Diabetes: If you have diabetes, you might be more likely to develop dry eye because of nerve damage and inflammation that can affect tear production.
- Thyroid disorders: Issues with your thyroid, like hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, can impact your tear glands, either by reducing tear production or changing their composition.
- Hormonal changes: Hormones play a critical role in tear production, which is why hormonal changes during pregnancy or menopause or from using birth control can lead to dry eyes.
- Medications: Some common medications, including antihistamines, antidepressants, and blood pressure meds, can cause dry eye as a side effect.
- Neurological conditions: Conditions like Parkinson’s disease and Bell’s palsy can interfere with how often you blink or your tear production, leading to dry eyes.
- Allergies: If you have chronic allergies, the inflammation they cause can affect your eyes and make them feel dry.
- Chronic inflammation: Conditions such as rosacea or blepharitis can cause ongoing inflammation in your eyelids, disrupting the oily layer of your tears and causing dry eyes.
Why it’s important to identify the cause
Understanding what’s causing your dry eye is crucial for effective treatment. While it might be tempting to reach for over-the-counter eye drops for quick relief, these solutions often only address the symptoms rather than the underlying issue. If your dry eye is caused by an underlying medical condition, like an autoimmune disease or diabetes, treating that condition can significantly improve your symptoms.
Left untreated, dry eye can lead to more serious complications, such as chronic eye irritation, infections, or even damage to the surface of the eye (the cornea). Persistent dry eye can cause tiny abrasions on the cornea, which can lead to infections and long-term vision problems if not properly managed. Identifying the underlying cause early on helps prevent these complications and ensures your eyes stay healthy and protected.
How Louisiana Eye Care can help
At Louisiana Eye Care, we can determine what’s causing your dry eye and provide the expert care you need to feel better. We’ll start with a detailed look at your eye health to see if an underlying condition is contributing to your dry eye symptoms. Once we identify the cause, we’ll create a customized treatment plan that fits your needs, whether that’s artificial tears, prescription medications, or lifestyle changes. When we understand the full picture, we can offer more precise treatments to help you achieve lasting relief.
One of the treatment options we offer is OptiLight IPL (intense pulsed light) therapy, a cutting-edge treatment designed specifically for dry eye. This non-invasive therapy helps improve tear production and restore comfort to your eyes.
You don’t have to live with dry, irritated eyes. By understanding the root cause of your symptoms, we can help you find effective solutions. If you’re dealing with dry eye, reach out to Louisiana Eye Care for dry eye treatment in Denham Springs, LA, today.
