Top 5 Causes of Dry Eye

Need Dry Eye Relief? Top 5 Causes of Dry Eye

Whether you're indoors or outside, dry eye can negatively affect your lifestyle. For instance, you may find it difficult to work at your computer for long periods due to eye irritation. Our optometrist at Crystal Clear Optometry in McAllen can give you an eye exam and provide you with dry eye treatment to improve your quality of life. Read on to learn about some causes of dry eye.

Aging

While many factors can cause dry eye, aging is the primary one. As you age, your eyes and vision can experience many changes. For one, aging eyes create fewer natural tears. In fact, people over 65 years old often experience dry eye, making it more challenging to drive at night.

Illness

Various illnesses can increase your risk of dry eye. Some of these are diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, and Graves' disease. Search for an eye doctor near you for advice and treatment.

Gender

Women experience dry eye disease and chronic dry eye more frequently than men. This can happen when using birth control, or it can come about when hormonal changes occur from menopause or pregnancy. To seek treatment, contact an optometrist near you.

Screen Time

Dry eye can occur if you look at your device's screen for a long time. This can dry your eyes. To improve this problem, you can try the 20-20-20 rule. After 20 minutes of looking at your screen, find an object that's about 20 feet away, and look at it for 20 seconds or longer.

Contact Lens Use

Contact lens use can lead to dry eye. One reason why you might have dry eye is that your contact lenses block oxygen from getting through to your eyes. You can try treating this problem by wearing daily disposable lenses or using lubricating eye drops.

Tips for Dry Eye Relief

Dry eye can be an unwanted distraction from everyday life. This makes it important to do something about it. Here are a few tips to find dry eye relief:

• Rest your eyes regularly when using a computer screen
• Try artificial tears
• Keep blowing air from fans and air conditioners away from your eyes
• Use a warm compress

Contact an Eye Doctor Near You

Unsure of your next step? Our optometrist at Crystal Clear Optometry in McAllen, TX can help. Call our team today at (956) 948-2187 to learn more or to schedule an appointment.