Medications That Cause Dry Eyes

Medications That Cause Dry Eyes

There are numerous different medications that can either increase the dryness of your eyes or cause your eyes to dry out altogether. People respond differently to medications—one person might experience no side effects, and another taking the same medication will have serious complications. Here is a look at some medications that have been reported to cause dry eyes:

  • Antihistamines: Antihistamines and decongestants may help reduce allergies, but studies show that these drugs also contribute to decrease in tear film production.<
  • Antidepressants: Antidepressants are known to cause drying of the eyes. Celexa, Lexepro, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Paxil are all antidepressants that have reportedly made dry-eye conditions worse.
  • Sleeping Pills: Side effects of sleeping pills can include dizziness, confusion, next-day drowsiness, dry mouth, and dry eyes. Over-the-counter sleep aids, as well as prescription sleep aids will cause these side effects.
  • Birth Control Pills: Many birth-control pills list dry eye as a side effect, mainly because birth control pills alter your hormones. They say stop the pills, and stop the dryness. On the other hand, pregnancy is also known to cause dry eyes.
  • Diuretics: These drugs are mostly used to treat high blood pressure.
  • ACE Inhibitors: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are mostly used to treat high blood pressure.
  • Isotretinoin-Type Drugs: These drugs are mostly used to treat acne conditions.
  • Opiates: Opiate-based medicines such as morphine help treat extreme pain.

Dry eye symptoms may appear suddenly or gradually, and can last for hours or days. Although there is no cure for dry eye syndrome, there are things you can do to treat or relieve the symptoms. Common dry eye symptoms include:

  • Discomfort (gritty or sandy feeling in eyes)
  • Eye pain
  • Feeling of a foreign object in eye
  • Eye fatigue
  • Swollen eyes
  • Redness
  • Excessive tearing (as a response to the brain sensing a “dry spot”)
  • Itchy eyes
  • Eyelid twitching
SOURCE: http://www.eyehealthweb.com/dry-eyes/