How Dry Eyes and Diabetes Are Connected

Dry eye syndrome is usually caused by too much screen time. However, recent studies have shown that there’s a correlation between diabetes mellitus and dry eye syndrome. 

Downtown Eyes Crosstown, your trusted optician, elaborates more on the symptoms of dry eyes as well as how it’s possibly linked to diabetes mellitus below: 

What Is Dry Eye Syndrome?

Patients develop dry eyes when their tears are not able to provide adequate lubrication for their eyes. Common symptoms include red, irritated eyes, blurred vision, and a gritty feeling in your eyes. 

What Are the Common Causes of Dry Eyes?

As mentioned earlier, too much screen time is the most common cause. When you stare at a computer screen for a long period of time, you tend to blink less often. This increases your risk for dry eye syndrome because blinking is how the tear film that helps keep your eyes moist is spread across the surface of your eye. However, studies have shown that patients suffering from diabetes mellitus may have a higher risk for dry eye syndrome. At least 15% of people with diabetes are estimated to suffer from dry eyes. 

How Are Diabetes Mellitus and Dry Eye Syndrome Linked?

Some researchers believe that sensory and autonomic neuropathy (which diabetic patients are at high risk for) can shed light on the link between the two conditions. Sensory neuropathy happens when the nerves are damaged. In cases involving diabetic patients, high blood sugar levels can damage the lacrimal glands (which is responsible for secreting the watery component of the tear film). This, in turn, decreases tear production, which, in turn, increases the patient’s risk for dry eye. Several studies that noted that diabetic patients suffered from decreased tear production generally support this conclusion. 

What Are the Factors That Increase Diabetic Patients’ Risk for Dry Eyes?

There is evidence suggesting that diabetes increases a patient’s risk for dry eye. However, there are other factors that can further increase a patient’s risk. These include poor metabolic glucose control (which means you have persistently high blood sugar levels) and proliferative retinopathy (the advanced stage of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, which is caused by damage to the retina, the thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye that converts light into signals to be sent to your brain). To learn more about the different risk factors for diabetic patients, it’s best to consult your optician. 

What Are the Other Factors That Can Cause Dry Eyes?

Aside from diabetes, there are other factors that increase your risk for dry eyes. Here’s an overview: 

• Environmental conditions – Tears evaporate more quickly in dry climates. Fortunately, using a humidifier indoors should prevent your tears from evaporating too quickly. 

• Age – As you age, you become more susceptible to vision conditions such as dry eyes. In particular, it’s not uncommon for people aged 65 and older to experience dry eye symptoms. That’s why it’s important that older patients see their local eye doctor for a routine eye examination at least once every year. 

• Medication – Certain types of drugs like antihistamines can reduce tear production, which in turn increases your risk for dry eyes. 

What Are Your Treatment Options?

After undergoing an eye examination, your optometrist may recommend: 

• Artificial tears – Artificial tears should be enough to alleviate the symptoms of mild to moderate dry eye. You may need to apply artificial tears several times during the day to keep your eyes moist. 

• Eye inserts – If artificial tears aren’t don’t alleviate dry eye symptoms, your eye doctor may recommend eye inserts. As the name suggests, an eye insert (which looks like a grain of rice) is placed between your lower eyelid and your eyeball. As it slowly dissolves, it releases lubrication for your eyes. 

• Tear-stimulating drugs – As the name suggests, these drugs stimulate tear production to alleviate the symptoms of dry eyes. 

• Antibiotics to reduce eyelid inflammation – Your optometrist may prescribe antibiotics to reduce eyelid inflammation, which prevents your glands from secreting oil that’s used to make the tear film responsible for keeping the surface of your eyes moist.  

• Vitamin C and E supplements – A study conducted in 2002 noted that diabetic patients who took Vitamin C and E supplements experienced less oxidative stress and decreased nitric oxide levels, both of which can aggravate dry eye symptoms. 

Important note: vitamin supplements shouldn’t be used as a substitute for a healthy diet. They can help prevent nutritional deficiencies, but a healthy and balanced diet should be your primary source of nutrients. In particular, we recommend incorporating fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin A (a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an essential role in tear production) in addition to citrus fruits rich in Vitamin C and nuts rich in Vitamin E. 

Making a few lifestyle changes (like incorporating fiber-rich fruits and vegetables that help keep your blood sugar levels stable) can also help patients manage their diabetes and lower their risk for dry eyes. Here are some tips: 

• Stay hydrated – Dehydration can affect your blood sugar levels and interfere with tear production. That’s why diabetic patients need to stay hydrated. As a general rule, you should drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water every day. 

• Exercise daily – As a general rule, adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week. Regular exercise not only helps improve your muscle cells’ ability to use insulin but also improves your vision health (physical activity increases the blood flow to your retina and lowers intraocular pressure or the pressure in your eyes). 

Important note: before starting an exercise routine, you should consult your eye doctor. That’s because vigorous exercise can lower your blood sugar levels. 

• Observe the 20-20-20 rule – People blink roughly 15 to 20 times every minute. However, when they’re in front of a computer, this figure is lowered by 66%. To prevent your eyes from drying out, we recommend observing the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. 

What Is Computer Vision Syndrome?

If you spend most of the day in front of a computer, dry eyes is just one of several symptoms you may experience. Too much screen time can also cause eyestrain, headaches, and blurred vision, all of which are symptoms of computer vision syndrome. If you suffer from any of these symptoms, avoid sitting too close to the computer monitor. The ideal distance between you and the monitor is about 20 to 28 inches. However, if you need to sit closer to the screen to see clearly or any of the said symptoms persist, it’s best to see your optician. 

• Undergo a routine eye exam – Not all vision conditions will produce symptoms in their early stages. That’s why it’s important to undergo routine eye exams. Through routine eye exams, your eye doctor can detect and treat vision conditions before they progress. The sooner eye conditions are detected and treated, the better. 

How Often Should You Have Your Eyes Checked?

It depends on your age and whether you have any other conditions. Patients aged 40 to 64 should undergo an eye exam at least once every two years, as this is the age group wherein changes in your vision start to become more noticeable. Meanwhile, patients older than 65 or those with conditions such as diabetes should see their eye doctor at least once every year. 

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