Health conditions that can dry your eyes
Age, hormones, allergies, skin and immunity.
- 01Dry eyes? It's not just a lack of water
- 02Meibomian glands: your eyes' oil factories
- 03Why won't my tears stay put?
- 04Why does dry eye keep coming back?
- 05Health conditions that can dry your eyes
- 06Everyday habits that quietly feed dry eye
- 07“It's just dry eyes”? It's not that simple
- 08Managing dry eye: from home to clinic
- 09In-clinic treatment: IPL, RF & expression
Age: the glands quietly decline
Part 05 · 01Meibomian glands shrink with age
Glands shorten or drop out more often, making less oil.
Low-grade inflammation rises
Sometimes called ‘inflammaging’.
Many people notice it after 40
Eyes dry out and tire more easily.
Hormones: especially relevant for women
Part 05 · 02Menopause
Falling androgens and other hormones affect gland function; dry eye is more common after menopause.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
A large study linked oestrogen-only HRT to a higher dry eye risk. Worth discussing with your doctor.
The contraceptive pill
Recent pooled research found no clear link with dry eye. If your eyes feel drier on it, tell your optometrist.
Teenagers get dry eye too
Long screen time and eye allergies are the main known factors. It's not just an adult problem.
Allergy: seasonal fuel on the fire
Part 05 · 03Perth's spring pollen season
Allergic conjunctivitis inflames the eye surface, and makes you rub.
Oral antihistamines
Some reduce tear production and can leave eyes drier.
Similar symptoms, worth telling apart
Itch, redness, grittiness: allergy and dry eye often coexist but are treated differently.
Skin conditions often involve the eyes
Part 05 · 04Rosacea
About four in ten people have eye involvement, such as blepharitis or MGD. It's often missed.
Eczema / dermatitis
The eyelids and lid margins can be affected too, disturbing the eye surface.
Oral retinoid acne medicines
Can affect the meibomian glands; often improves after stopping, but not always fully. Don't stop on your own; ask your optometrist to monitor.
Immune and hormonal conditions
Part 05 · 05Sjögren's syndrome
The immune system attacks the tear glands: a classic cause of aqueous-deficient dry eye.
Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus
Body-wide immune inflammation raises the risk of surface inflammation and dry eye.
Thyroid eye disease
Lid retraction and bulging eyes expose more surface, so tears evaporate faster.
Gut microbiome (emerging research)
May be linked to eye surface inflammation, but evidence is early; probiotics aren't a proven dry eye treatment.
Key takeaways
Part 05- 01With age, glands decline and inflammation rises
- 02Menopause, skin conditions, allergies and immune diseases can all affect tears
- 03Tell your optometrist about your medicines and health conditions
Book an eye surface assessment.
Eyes that often feel dry or gritty, or vision that comes and goes? Find out which type you have and what’s driving it.
General health information only, not personal advice. Everyone’s eyes are different. An optometrist or doctor should examine you before any treatment is decided.