During the menopausal stage, women experience hot flashes which is the common symptom of menopause. Some women find hot flashes a hindrance to the tasks that they perform. Menopausal women not only face the struggle of hot flashes but also dry eye symptoms.
Dry eye is a condition where your eyes do not produce tears that lubricates and nourishes the eye. Dry eye occurs often in older adults. It is also associated with menopause. Unfortunately, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) will not solve the problem. There may be studies that suggested little improvements in dry eye with hormone therapy. On the other hand, some increase the risk of dry eyes or worsen the symptoms of dry eye.
Why Does Your Eye Feel Dry?
According to women, they describe their experience with dry eyes differently. Some women say that their eyes feel dry, scratchy, irritated, and uncomfortable. There are complaints about having red eyes and burning feelings. At the end of the day, you will notice how these symptoms worsen mostly when you spend your time working on the computer or reading.
Blurred vision may also occur if your eyes are dry because they are related. If you have insufficient tear production which makes your eye too dry, it causes blurry vision. With that, blurred vision is considered to be one of the primary symptoms of dry eyes.
There are numerous theories regarding the reason behind dry eyes in menopausal women. The opinion of eye doctors assumed that it is because of the decreased hormones that play a role in tear production. Some eye doctors think that menopausal women experience a disruption of chemical signals which plays a role in maintaining healthy tear film. No matter what the reason is, dry eyes can affect how you perform daily activities.
How to Overcome Dry Eye
If you have excessively dry eyes, it may damage your eye tissue, impair your vision, and scar your cornea. To avoid excessive dry eyes, seek treatment right away. The eye doctor can recommend prescription eye drops, over-the-counter eye drops, in-office procedures, warm compresses, lid scrubs, or dietary supplements.
Advancements have been made when it comes to treatments for dry eye conditions. There may be people with dry eyes interested in trying contact lenses which they need to consult an eye doctor to know what is best for them. If you are suffering from menopausal dry eye, do not hesitate to talk to your doctor because he/ she can help you in providing relief.
