What Causes Dry Eyes?

Certain Medications

Several medications can cause a decrease in tear production. If an individual recently started a new medication and notices their eyes are dry, it might be a side effect. If the symptoms aren't severe, individuals should be able to treat them with over-the-counter eye drops. For individuals who have symptoms that aren't relieved by these eye drops, they might want to talk to a doctor about lowering their medication dosage or switching to a different drug. The most common medications that cause dry eye include antidepressants, hormone replacement therapy, decongestants, and antihistamines. Individuals might also experience dry eye as a side effect of medications that treat Parkinson's disease, acne, high blood pressure, or birth control. Diuretics, which cause the body to expel fluid, are often prescribed for high blood pressure. While this helps relax the blood vessels, it can also lead to less tear production. Antihistamines reduce the production of tears and mucus specifically to relieve allergy symptoms like runny noses and watery eyes.

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