6 types of drugs that are often the cause of dry eyes

Medicines that can cause dry eyes

1. Antihistamines

Antihistamines such as fexofenadine, loratadine, cetirizine, and diphenhhydramine are commonly used as drugs to relieve allergy symptoms. You do this by stopping the body's response to allergy triggers, as well as preventing the appearance of common allergy symptoms such as itching, sneezing, and a runny nose.

Unfortunately, this drug can lead to reduced tear production. That is why, these drugs are often associated as a cause of dry eyes.

2. Decongestants

When you have a cold, fever, nasal congestion, and allergies, decongestants are often an option for symptom relief. The reason is, this drug works by reducing swelling in the blood vessels in the lining of the nose, which causes nasal congestion. Finally, it can give your nose more space to circulate air, as well as help you to breathe freely.

Decongestants are often found in tablet, liquid, or spray form. Although these properties are good, decongestants can also reduce the amount of tears without realizing it, which then causes dry eyes. Even some types of drugs, in order to speed up the healing process of the disease, combine antihistamines and decongestants. Therefore, dry eyes will also feel twice as bad.

3. Drink acne medication

In addition to using foreign drugs, there is also a drinking acne medication that is usually consumed by people with severe acne conditions, namely the drug isotretinoin. This medication helps get rid of acne by reducing the production of oil produced by certain glands.

Stephanie Crist, Pharm.D., An assistant professor of pharmaceutical practice at St. Petersburg Louise College of Pharmacy, explained that drinking acne medication can disrupt the mucus layer and reduce the secretion of all glands in the body, including the glands in the eyelids. This results in a reduced tear supply.

4. Hypertension drugs

Beta-blockers, which are a type of blood pressure medication, stop the body's response to the hormone adrenaline. That is why, this drug will help slow down the heart rate, which then triggers a drop in blood pressure in the body.

Unfortunately, the side effect of this hypertension drug is to reduce the production of protein which is part of the tear component. This condition then causes the eyes to dry out even more due to decreased tear production.

5. Birth control pills and hormone therapy

Hormones, whether found in oral contraceptives (birth control pills) or those used in hormone therapy, can have an impact on dry eyes. This is proven in a study involving more than 25,000 postmenopausal women, that women who use the hormone estrogen alone have a 69 percent risk of experiencing dry eyes.

Meanwhile, women who use a mixture of the hormones estrogen and progesterone have a 29 percent greater risk than women who do not take birth control pills and use hormone therapy. In short, women are more prone to dry eyes due to hormonal changes associated with using birth control pills and hormone therapy.

This condition may be caused by the hormone estrogen which affects the oil-producing glands in the eye and erodes the tear film.

6. Antidepressants, antipsychotics, and drugs for Parkinson's disease

Although antidepressants, antipsychotics, and drugs for Parkinson's disease are types of drugs that have many different functions, they all have something in common. Yes, these three drugs are said to have an anticholinergic effect, which is to block the impulse-carrying signals between one nerve cells and another.

According to dr. Steven Maskin, medical director at the Dry Eye and Cornea Treatment Center, normally when the eyes feel dry, the nerves in the eye will be in charge of sending signals to be transmitted; until then it can trigger the shedding of tears.

Conversely, when the "communication" network is broken, the message to produce tears is not conveyed properly. This is what then causes dry eyes.