Dry eyes happen when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or when those tears evaporate too quickly to keep the surface of your eye lubricated. A number of everyday factors can play a role in dry eye, from your age and health history to your screen habits and what you eat. Our team at EyeQ Optical offers dry eye therapy to help you find the right path to comfort.
Common Signs of Dry Eyes
Before diving into the causes, it helps to know what they actually feel like. Symptoms can vary from person to person, but some of the most common include:
- Stinging, burning, or a scratchy feeling in your eyes
- Watery eyes
- Redness
- Sensitivity to light
- Blurred vision or a gritty sensation, like sand in your eye
It might seem odd that watery eyes show up on this list. When your eyes are too dry, they can actually overproduce tears as a reflex response. However, these tears don’t have the right balance of components to properly lubricate your eyes, so they’re largely ineffective.
Why Your Eyes Stop Making Enough Tears
Age & Hormonal Changes
Tear production naturally slows down as you get older. After age 50, many people notice that their eyes feel drier more often, especially in the morning or after long days. This is a normal shift, but it doesn’t mean you have to live with the discomfort.
For women going through menopause, hormonal changes can lower both the amount and quality of tears that their eyes produce. This is one reason why dry eye symptoms tend to be more common in women, particularly in their 50s and beyond.
Health Conditions & Medications
Certain health conditions, including autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, can affect the glands responsible for tear production. If your body’s immune response interferes with those glands, your eyes may not get the moisture they need.
Medications can also play a role. Antihistamines, antidepressants, and some blood pressure medications are known to reduce how many tears your eyes make. If you’ve recently started a new medication and your eyes feel drier, that connection is worth bringing up with your eye doctor. Blocked oil glands along the eyelids, known as meibomian gland dysfunction, can also contribute to this problem and may need targeted treatment.
Everyday Habits That Make Dry Eyes Worse
Screen Time & Blinking Less
When you’re focused on a screen, whether that’s a phone, computer, or TV, you blink less often than usual. Blinking is what spreads tears across the surface of your eye, so fewer blinks means less moisture coverage. After a few hours spent in front of a screen, your eyes start to feel the consequences
Even when you do blink during screen time, those blinks are often incomplete, meaning that your eyelids don’t fully close. Taking short breaks every 20 minutes or so can give your eyes a chance to recover. The 20-20-20 rule is a simple habit that can help your eyes reset during long screen sessions.
Contact Lens Wear & Lid Hygiene
Wearing contacts longer than recommended, especially sleeping in them, can irritate the surface of your eye and reduce moisture levels. Contacts sit directly on the tear film, and extended wear can throw off the delicate balance of your tears. If you wear contacts and notice dry eye symptoms, contact lenses designed for dry eye may help reduce your discomfort.
Clogged glands along your eyelids, often from makeup residue or debris buildup, also affect tear quality. These glands produce the oily layer that keeps youur tears from evaporating too quickly. When they’re blocked, your tears dry up more quickly than they should.
What Your Diet Has to Do with Dry Eyes
What you eat can actually influence how your eyes feel. A few key nutrients play a direct role in tear production and overall eye moisture:
- Low vitamin A intake has been linked to reduced tear production
- Omega-3 fatty acids help support a healthy, stable tear film
- Foods like salmon, carrots, and walnuts can support your eye health from the inside out
You don’t need a dramatic diet overhaul. Small, consistent choices, like adding more fish or leafy greens to your meals, can make a real difference in how your eyes feel day-to-day. Our team at EyeQ Optical also offers eye nutrition support to help you find the right supplements for your situation.
When to See an Eye Doctor in Cooper City
Occasional dryness after a long day is one thing, but when the discomfort sticks around for more than a few days, that’s a signal worth paying attention to. A comprehensive eye exam can measure how well your eyes produce and retain tears, giving us a clearer picture of what’s going on.
As your eye doctor in Cooper City, EyeQ Optical is here to help you find comfortable vision. If dry eyes have been bothering you, reach out to us today to schedule a comprehensive eye exam and take the first step toward real relief.
