Dry eye is one of the most common eye afflictions and can feel like stinging, itchiness, or grittiness. No one wants to deal with that kind of discomfort, which is why your trusted optometrists here in Colorado Springs broke down what exactly causes this annoying condition.
Do We All Get Dry Eyes?
Dry eyes are often an inevitable part of aging, particularly during menopause, which can cause tear production to decrease. Other things that might cause decreased tear production include medical conditions like diabetes, arthritis, certain vitamin deficiencies, and medications like antihistamines, antidepressants, or drugs for high blood pressure.
Dry eyes can also come from something causing your tears to evaporate faster. Unfortunately, increased tear evaporation is especially common here in our beautiful state because of our dry, humid, and often windy climate. That’s why wearing sunglasses or glasses in Colorado Springs is a great idea! Increased tear evaporation might also be caused by not blinking as much, usually from staring at a screen or reading for too long. Make sure to take frequent, short breaks to give your eyes a rest!
Contacts Can Lead to Dry Eye, Too
A big cause of dry eye among people who already have vision difficulties is the overuse of contact lenses. Wearing contact lenses for too long can cause your eyes to dry out. The most dangerous is wearing contact lenses while you sleep, especially overnight, as this can severely dry out your eyes to the point that it’s difficult to remove the lenses. If you wear contact lenses, make sure to remove them frequently and give your eyes a break by wearing glasses.
Still wondering what the cause of your chronic dry eyes might be? Here are even more reasons your eyes might be drying out. If you have more questions, then come on down to your Colorado Springs eye doctor or give us a call and find out why we’re the veterans’ choice!