Dry Eyes - Mayo Clinic (Symptoms & Causes)

Tier 1: Established: peer-reviewed research or government health authority
Publisher: Mayo Clinic · Published: September 5, 2024 · Accessed: September 3, 2026

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Claims this source supports

• Dry eye disease occurs when your tears are not able to provide adequate lubrication; tears can be inadequate and unstable because you do not produce enough tears or you produce poor-quality tears, and this tear instability can lead to inflammation and damage of the eye's surface.
• The healthy tear film has three layers: fatty oils, aqueous fluid and mucus; problems with any of these layers can cause dry eyes.
• Reasons for tear-film dysfunction include hormone changes, autoimmune disease, inflamed eyelid glands (meibomian gland dysfunction) or allergic eye disease; dry eyes can also occur from decreased tear production or increased tear evaporation.
• Common causes of decreased tear production include certain medicines (antihistamines, decongestants, hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, blood-pressure medicines, some acne and birth-control medicines, Parkinson's medicines) and corneal nerve desensitivity from contact lens use, nerve damage or laser eye surgery.
• Risk factor: being a woman - a lack of tears is more common in women, especially if they experience hormonal changes due to pregnancy, using birth control pills or menopause.