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Dry Eyes – Symptoms and Causes

What Causes Dry Eyes?

Your tears have three layers: an outer layer of fatty acids, an aqueous middle layer, and an inner mucus layer. When the function of the glands affecting these components is affected, you may experience dry eyes. Causes of dry eyes include:

Aging

Your eyes get drier as you age [7]. Dry eyes tend to affect people older than 50 more than the average population. This is because people experience a decline in the volume of tears their eyes can produce as they age. Once the amount of this fluid becomes barely sufficient to keep the eyes lubricated, your eyes start to feel dry.

Dry eyes due to decreased tears production in old age cannot be stopped. What doctors do is try to help you manage the condition. Doctors often recommend artificial tears you use to lubricate your eyes. You can purchase some of them at your local pharmacy.