How Hormones Affect Your Dry Eye Disease

When it comes to Dry Eye Disease, sometimes it can be confusing what’s contributing to your symptoms. While Dry Eye Disease is an incredibly common condition, the reasons why people develop it are varied.

But something many professionals credit with affecting the symptoms of Dry Eye Disease is your hormonal status. For various reasons, our hormones can change as we age, creating changes across our bodies, including in our delicate eyes. How do your hormones affect your eyes and cause symptoms of Dry Eye Disease?

What is Dry Eye Disease?

Dry Eye Disease is an extremely common condition that affects the tears of your eyes. Tears are crucial for the function and wellness of your eyes as they keep the surface smooth and clear.[1] When your tears aren’t able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes, it can lead to feelings of discomfort and pain due to inflammation of the eye’s surface.[2]

Symptoms can include:

Blurry vision
Red eyes
Fatigue
Excessive watering
Feelings of burning
Aching sensations
The feeling of sand or grit in your eye[3]

Oftentimes, people will struggle with the symptoms of Dry Eye throughout their lives, but for some, it may only become a noticeable condition as they age. There are many factors for developing Dry Eye Disease (including lifestyle, environment, and even medication)[4], but ageing is known to be a contributing factor to decreased tear production.[2]2 Patients in the UK are seen as more likely to develop the condition if they’re over the age of 50.[5]

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How does age affect dry eyes and Dry Eye Syndrome?

As people age, they’re likely to develop a range of conditions such as presbyopia (the loss of flexibility in the eye’s crystalline lens), macular degeneration (the leading cause of vision loss in older adults), reduced pupil size and light sensitivity, decreased peripheral vision, and glaucoma.[6] All of these conditions affect the functionality of vision and the comfort of your eyes, which may impact your everyday life, similarly to Dry Eye Disease.

But age can also cause dry eyes to become more prevalent and severe due to a few reasons, such as reduced tear production.

The lacrimal gland suffers during ageing. Studies suggest that ageing actually changes the lacrimal gland functional unit.[7] This gland is key for tear production, and damage or changes to its functionality have been linked to the symptoms of Dry Eye Disease.

Additionally, many conditions that are more common in older populations, such as autoimmune conditions, such as Sjögren’s syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, have a higher correlation with susceptibility to inadequate tear production.[8]

Ageing and gender are two of the most common factors in developing Dry Eye Syndrome, which may be because hormones are considered a large factor in the disease, and many women experience hormonal changes as they age.

How do women’s hormones change as they age?

Female sex hormones can fluctuate throughout their life, with levels of Oestrogen increasing and decreasing. But other hormones that can vary in levels and contribute to dry eye are insulin and thyroid hormone.[9]

Through puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and the use of birth control pills, women’s hormones will change often, causing the occurrence of many physical symptoms, including vision and eye problems as a result.[10]

How do sex hormones affect Dry Eye Disease?

While there’s no current scientific consensus on the role hormones play in affecting Dry Eye Disease, there is a large correlation among women who find they develop Dry Eye as they go through perimenopause and menopause. To find out more about how menopause can affect your dry eyes, read our blog here. Or if you’re interested in how to cope with the symptoms of menopause and dry eye, you can read this blog.

Additionally, medical professionals have observed that many women with PCOS also suffer from Dry Eye Disease.[9] This disease is caused by too many androgens in the body (sex hormones that play a large role in the development of male characteristics).[11] Androgens have also been suggested to be an important factor in the development of evaporative dry eye for women.

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How do other hormones affect Dry Eye Disease?

There are also hormones not related to sex or a woman’s reproductive life cycle that have been observed to affect the development of Dry Eye Disease. Diabetics can often suffer from Dry Eye Disease due to the amount of insulin in their bodies. Low insulin levels can make it more difficult for your lacrimal gland to produce tears, reducing tear supply and making the surface of your eyes more prone to irritation and inflammation.[9]

What’s the treatment for Dry Eye Disease?

There’s currently no cure for Dry Eye Disease, but there are several treatments that can make it more possible for sufferers to enjoy their lives and ensure that their vision doesn’t become impacted.

Lifestyle and environmental changes can play a huge role, but if your Dry Eye Disease is caused by hormonal changes, the best course of action is often to treat symptoms and find relief. Implementing a three-step daily routine to stimulate the meibomian glands, remove possible irritants and secretions, and reintroduce hydration can provide incredible relief throughout the day. You can find out more about a three-step routine and how you can introduce one to your morning here.

Best eye drops for menopause dry eyes and other hormone related dry eyes

Additionally, finding the right eye drops or eye gels for you can improve your quality of life. As many hormonal changes can affect the quantity of tears produced by the eyes, seeking extra hydration is key if you want to avoid the feelings of itchiness and irritation that Dry Eye Disease can cause.

Xailin® Hydrate has lubricating properties that provide long-lasting relief, so you can enjoy your day without worrying about your dry eyes. Find out more about Xailin® Hydrate here. If you’re missing out on sleep at night because of symptoms, then Xailin® Night can offer a lubricating shield to protect your corneal tissue, locking in moisture for hours. Check out the product here.

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While you may feel like your Dry Eye Disease is controlling your life, you’re not alone. Join our community of dry eye sufferers today and follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts to chat with other people living with Dry Eye Disease.

References

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