Dry eyes are common in women. Here's why you shouldn't ignore them
Dry eye syndrome is increasingly common in women, particularly those undergoing perimenopause and menopause. Experts explain that hormonal changes affecting oil glands in the eyelids are a primary driver of this condition.
Why it matters
Understanding the link between menopause and ocular health helps women identify and treat a common but often ignored chronic condition.
Hanna Barczyk for NPR To paraphrase Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman approaching midlife will experience physical changes that will take her by surprise. Take, for example, dry eyes. Turns out, this chronic eye condition is highly common among women in perimenopause and beyond.
Real Talk With a Doc Everyone's talking about hormone therapy for menopause. Should I be on it? Hilda Hernandez Nash says her symptoms sprung up earlier this year, as she was driving to work one morning. "All of a sudden I couldn't tolerate my contacts," she recalls. "My eyes just felt like they were sandpaper."
Within days, her eyes became red, watery and swollen. At one point, she says, her eyes had trouble focusing. "I just didn't want to open my eyes. I couldn't tolerate the light."
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