What causes dry eye?

Hormonal changes during aging can be a cause of dry eye. Although both men and women can get dry eye, it tends to be more common in women, especially after menopause. There are many other causes of dry eye, which including autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, and lupus, thyroid disease, smoke exposure, wind exposure, or being in a dry climate, prolonged activities that reduce blinking such as working at a computer screen for long periods of time, or reading, wearing contact lenses for an extended period of time, refractive eye surgery such as LASIK.

Additionally, medications that can cause dry eyes include diuretics, beta-blockers, antihistamines, sleeping pills, medications for anxiety or depression, and heartburn medications.^[1]