Getting to Know About Dry Eye Causes

Dry eye is a common problem among the people of all ages and gender. Millions of cases are reported every year related to dry eye syndrome and people face different types of difficulties throughout due to this condition. Dry eye is, basically, a disability of the eye where it is not able to produce enough amount of lubrication for your eyes. This condition is quite uncomfortable and may result in many problems such as itching, roughness inside the eyes, burning sensation and also stinging.

Causes of dry eye

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Dry eye causes are of various kinds. If you are facing dry eye syndrome, it may have been caused due to various reasons. It is difficult to ascertain the exact reason that causes this condition. The most common and important dry eye causes, however, are mentioned above. This will help you to identify the problem and find a solution as per the cause.

#1. Decreased tear production

Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca or the dysfunction of the tear glands is when they do not produce enough amount of tears. The lack of ample amount of tears is a major dry eyes cause. The decreased tear production can be caused due to several reasons such as:

  1. Increasing age contributes to dry eye.
  2. Certain medical conditions such as Vitamin A deficiency, diabetes and lupus, to name a few, may also contribute to dry tear production.
  3. Dry eye tears can be caused as a result of some side-effects due to usage of some medicines during the time of depression or pain during arthritis.
  4. Damage inflicted to the tear glands due to some external factors may also result in poor tear production in the eyes.

#2. Increased tear evaporation

Apart from decreased tear production, there are also few dry eye causes. One such cause is the increase in the amount of tear evaporation. Factors that cause increased tear evaporation are:

  • Tears present in the eyes evaporate when they are exposed to various external factors like air, wind, heat etc. Therefore, it leads to a rapid depletion of the lubricant.
  • When you do not blink your eyes for a long period of time, like when you are concentrating on any work, for example, while reading something, driving a vehicle or working at a computer.
  • Other factors like some chronic eye disease, inflammation of the eye or heavy damage etc. can also result in reduced lubrication.

Hence, dry eye cases are extensive, and the condition may be caused due to a lot of reasons. However, there is nothing to worry about because they can be treated easily. The symptoms, however, should not be neglected because little delay in the treatment can only worsen the situation.

Risk factors

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Certain risk factors that should be kept in mind are as the following:

  • When people age over 48-50 years, the production decreases rapidly due to which many people face dry eye problem.
  • Women are more likely to face dry problem than men because of fluctuating hormonal issues during pregnancy or due to the usage of other medications.
  • People who have a deficiency of Vitamin A or Omega 3 fatty acids are more likely to be affected by the problem.

Now, you know what dry eye causes are. We have also discussed the risk factors which may vary from individual to individual. If you are suffering from any of the symptoms stated in this article, it is always recommended to visit a doctor.  A doctor will prescribe you some medicines which will help this condition to subside, slowly but eventually.

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