The dry eye is the condition of the eyes which is caused due to the deficiency of the tears or the excessive evaporation of the tears. The eyes are covered by the film of tears...

The dry eye is the condition of the eyes which is caused due to the deficiency of the tears or the excessive evaporation of the tears. The eyes are covered by the film of tears which helps to maintain comfortable and clear vision. It also protects and lubricates the eyes. The decrease in the tears production leads to the dry eye disorder. It causes a sense of a foreign substance in the eyes, irritation of the eyes, burning and scratch sensation in the eyes, sensitivity to light etc. There are many factors that cause this disease.

Poor tear quality

The tear film includes three layers such as oil, water and mucus. The oil layer is the outer layer produced by the meibomian glands. When this layer is abnormal, the water layer evaporates immediately.

The middle water layer is 90% part of the tears. It is produced by the lacrimal glands. A thin water layer leads to the instability of the tear film.

The loss of the inner mucus layer causes the dry spots in any part of the cornea.

Reduced tear production

With the growing age, the production of the tears is reduced. This condition is called as ‘keratoconjunctivitis sicca’. This disorder is more common in the women after menopause due to the hormonal changes.

The production of the tears is reduced due to the damage to the tear glands. The dry eyes are also caused due to the medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, scleroderma, lupus etc.

Poor lid function

A normal rate of blinking of the eyes is 13 blinks per minute. It causes a continuous spreading of a thin film of the tears over the ocular surface. An impaired function of the eyelids causes the difficulty in the blinking motion of the eyes. It results into the dry eyes.

Medications

Following drugs can be the cause of the dry eyes:

* Antihistamines and decongestants
* Birth control pills
* Diuretics
* Sleeping pills
* Isotretinoin-type drugs for the treatment of the acne
* Tricyclic antidepressants

Other causes

An exposure to some environmental conditions like sun, wind, dry climate, air pollution, central heating, air travel is also the cause of the dry eyes. Some activities such as driving, watching TV, computer work and reading may lead to this disorder.

The allergic reaction to the eye drops or ointments may cause the dry eyes in some cases.

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