Seasonal Versus Chronic Dry Eye: Is your Dry Eye Caused by the Seasons?

Many sufferers of Dry Eye Disease will notice that their symptoms worsen during specific times of the year. From March when hay fever season begins in the UK, many people will see an increase in sensations of itchiness, irritation, and weeping eyes.[1]1 In autumn, when the sun is lower in the sky you can also find yourself struggling,[2] while central heating in the winter months can dry your eyes out, leading to exacerbating your symptoms.[3]

However, that doesn’t mean that Dry Eye Disease is entirely caused by seasons. There are varying factors that can cause the development and worsening of Dry Eye Disease, with outside factors such as the seasons being only one of them.

What is Dry Eye Disease?

Dry Eye Disease is a very common condition, with ¼ of the UK population suffering from it.[4] It occurs when your tears aren’t able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes, either due to the quality or quantity of tears.[5] It can cause feelings of grittiness in the eye, redness, itchiness, a stinging or burning sensation, blurred vision, and even excessive watering of the eyes.[5]

What causes Dry Eye Disease?

There are a variety of factors that can contribute to dry eyes.

Medication

Dry eyes can be a side effect of many medications or drugs including Beta Blockers, THC, Morphine, Nitrous Oxide, and Propranolol.[6] If you experience dry eyes and are currently taking medication, make sure you discuss this with your doctor.

Diseases or Disorders

It can also be a side effect of certain diseases such as lupus, thyroid disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.[7] Dry eyes are a very common side effect of the autoimmune disease Sjögren’s Syndrome in which the immune system attacks the glands that keep our mouths and eyes lubricated – leading to dry eyes. If you’d like to learn more about the condition, including symptoms and treatments, please read our blog.

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Environmental Factors

Your environment can cause your dry eyes, with factors like air quality, climate, and the weather all contributing. Allergens in the air can cause hay fever in spring, while the strong winter winds can irritate dry eyes.[8]

Lifestyle choices

Your lifestyle can contribute to your Dry Eye Disease. Office workers find themselves vulnerable to the condition more frequently with one-third of office workers surveyed in America and Europe complaining of dry eye symptoms. This is because of the environment around them with computer screens, bright lights, and dry air all triggering symptoms of dry eyes.[9]

Age

Ageing can be a major contributing factor to the development of Dry Eye Disease. This is a natural effect as the number of tears that the lacrimal gland produces reduces, meaning your eyes don’t have adequate hydration to avoid dry eyes.[10]

Menopause

Due to the hormonal changes that happen during menopause, it’s an extremely common cause of Dry Eye Disease. In fact, around 61% of perimenopausal and menopausal women are affected by the disease.[10]

There are a variety of causes that are known to contribute to the development and worsening of Dry Eye Disease, as well as many triggers that can cause the condition to flare up. Oftentimes it’s a combination of these that can cause you to suffer from the symptoms of dry eyes.

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Chronic Dry Eye versus Seasonal Dry Eye

Chronic dry eye is another description for the condition Dry Eye Disease, that causes uncomfortable symptoms due to the lack of adequate and sufficient hydration for the eyes.

A doctor will often diagnose this condition for you[11] and it’s treated by limiting triggers through environmental and lifestyle changes as well as the use of prescription medication, eye drops, and a three-step, routine using products like VisuXL.

For many people, however, dry eyes are a seasonal condition, caused primarily by allergens. It’s possible that you can experience both symptoms at the same time.[11] However, understanding the difference between them is key to knowing how to treat the issue or bring relief. If you’re experiencing symptoms of Dry Eye Disease speak to your doctor today and seek help.[12]

Our blog contains lots of advice and tips for coping with Dry Eye Disease as well as further explorations into the causes and how to avoid triggers. If you’re interested in learning more, explore our blog today.

References

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