Without enough sleep, the eyes may not produce sufficient tears, which help lubricate the eye. This may cause the eyes to feel dry and scratchy. Focusing intensely for long periods may also cause tiredness, eyestrain, and dry eye.
Are dry eyes caused by not sleeping enough? In a word, yes. As we previously touched on, not having your eyes closed for long enough periods can lead to your eyes drying out. In deep sleep stages, your tear ducts replenish themselves, helping with overall eye hydration.
Once thought to be caused by simply having tired eyes, these could actually be caused by dry eye syndrome. Dry eye syndrome does not simply mean that the eye is dry; it can produce various symptoms caused by a mucosal abnormality on the surface of the eye, making it feel painful and uneven.
Dry eye syndrome commonly occurs in people who are otherwise healthy. It becomes more common with older age. This can occur due to hormonal changes that make your eyes produce fewer tears. Dry eye syndrome is sometimes caused or worsened by a condition called meibomianitis, which changes the normal tear film.
Treatments for Mild Dry Eye:
Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water. Staying hydrated helps produce natural tears more effectively. Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine, which has a drying/diuretic effect.
What causes eyestrain? There are a number of factors that can cause eyes to feel strained, such as lack of sleep, crying, exposure to very bright light or prolonged periods of intense focus while driving, reading or working at the computer.
Eye strain
The most common cause of tired eyes is that they've been used to complete tasks that have strained the muscles. This is often a side effect of using electronic devices for prolonged periods. It's particularly inadvisable to concentrate on mobile phone screens or other technology late at night.
Decreased sleep quality can aggravate dry eye symptoms by increasing tear osmolarity and decreasing tear production.
You may get relief in as little as 2 weeks. If your dry eye is serious, you might need steroid eye drops to ease inflammation quickly. You'll use these for just a short time.
The best way to avoid dehydration if you have dry eyes is to drink water regularly. Start by drinking at least the recommended 8 to 10 glasses of water daily.
Can anxiety cause dry eyes? Yes, anxiety and other mental health conditions can induce a state of physiological stress that can affect different parts of the body, including the eyes.
Dry eye symptoms may occur due to poor tear quality and tear film dysfunction, both of which are sometimes associated with vitamin D deficiency. According to various studies, vitamin D supplements may help by reducing inflammation on the eye's surface, and improving the efficiency of lubricating eye drops.
Dry eyes are almost always a serious problem because burning, itchy, sensitive eyes affect every aspect of your daily life. But dry eyes can become a truly serious condition that ultimately causes vision loss, which is why you should call us at Smart Eye Care for prompt treatment, even if your symptoms seem mild.
Can dry eyes heal on their own? Dry eyes can be temporary or chronic. If symptoms result from routine or environmental factors that can be changed, then symptoms may go away on their own.
Studies have shown 54 percent of people with diabetes have dry eye. Also known as dry eye syndrome (DES), dry eye disease, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, this condition sounds harmless but should be taken just as seriously as any other diabetes eye complication. In fact, they are often related.
It could be due to poor sleep quality, lifestyle factors such as stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise or an underlying health condition. It is also possible that you may not be getting enough deep sleep or REM sleep, which can leave you feeling tired even after a full night's sleep.
Tired eyes can also be the result of lack of sleep, reading without taking breaks, exposure to dry air, straining to see in dim lighting and having uncorrected vision. Once you've isolated the possible cause or causes of your tired eyes, make some changes to give your eyes a bit more rest.