Dry Eyes As We Age

Why Does Aging Induce Dry Eye Syndrome?

Inflammaging

Notably, the immune system evolves as we age. A common manifestation of this progression is inflammaging, a chronic, low-grade inflammation caused by an increase in cytokines. This inflammation, combined with an increased susceptibility to autoimmune issues and infections, particularly prevalent in United States, is a major contributor to dry eye in older individuals.

Stress Levels

Furthermore, as we age, stress levels tend to increase, triggering autoimmune responses and inflammation, thereby exacerbating dry eye symptoms. In our eye care clinic, we routinely encounter patients dealing with this condition.

Meibomian Gland Degeneration

As people age, the meibomian glands (which produce oil that slows the evaporation rate of tears) become more easily blocked and can start to degenerate. If too little of this oil, or low quality oil, is produced, the tears will evaporate too quickly, leading to dry eyes. Learn more about meibomian gland dysfunction here.

Hormonal Changes

Hormonal changes can also increase the likelihood of dry eye, which is why post-menopausal women are particularly susceptible to dry eye. In fact, about 60 percent of perimenopausal and menopausal women are affected by dry eye syndrome. Additionally, HRT (hormone replacement therapy), which is used by many women to manage their menopausal symptoms, is linked to dry eye.

Medication

Several other medications, including some heart medication such as plaquinil, have been found to cause dry eye. Since, due to other health issues like hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes, older people are more likely to require medication, this is more likely to lead to dry eye symptoms for them.