Key Takeaways
- Dry eyes and headaches can overlap.
- Eye strain and irritated nerves may play a role.
- Burning, redness, watery eyes, and fluctuating vision are common signs of dry eye.
- Denver’s dry air, screen time, and oil gland trouble along the eyelids can contribute to dry eye symptoms.
- Artificial tears, warm compresses, and the 20-20-20 rule can help at home.
- In-office therapy can help when symptoms keep returning.
Why Your Eyes and Your Head Might Be Connected
You close your laptop at 4 p.m. and feel a dull ache spreading across your forehead. Your eyes feel gritty, like you rubbed them with a dry towel. You reach for water, and maybe ibuprofen, and you wonder why this keeps happening.
While dry eyes don’t contribute to headaches, they do seem to have similar causes, so people who are prone to dry eyes also seem to get frequent headaches. Fortunately, treating one of the two can often calm down the other.
Our team at Cherry Creek Eye Physicians and Surgeons is here to help you keep your vision comfortable.
The Link Between Dry Eyes and Head Pain
While dry eye hasn’t been shown to cause headaches, the two conditions seem to have similar causes. For instance, people who have dry eyes are much more likely to have migraines, and both conditions cause light sensitivity. Some autoimmune conditions (like Sjögren’s disease) may also contribute to both conditions.
Eye strain is also associated with both headaches and dry eyes, though for slightly different reasons.
Dry Eye Symptoms to Watch For
Keep an eye out for these signs of dry eye:
- Burning, stinging, or a sandy feeling
- Redness in one or both eyes
- Blurry vision that shifts through the day
- Watery eyes that seem to overflow for no reason
- Trouble wearing contact lenses comfortably
Common Contributors to Dry Eyes
Trouble with the oil glands along your eyelids is one of the more frequent contributors to dry eye. Screen time matters too, because your blink rate drops when you’re focused on your monitor.
Then there’s your environment. Denver’s dry air, wind, and indoor heating pull moisture away from your eyes all year long.
Other Contributors
Certain medications, hormone shifts, and age can each play a role in dry eye. Long-term contact lens wear can also contribute to dry eye for some people. Health conditions affecting tear production may also be part of the picture, and an eye disease evaluation can rule those in or out.
At-Home Habits for Dry Eye Relief
For less severe cases of dry eye, the following are all options that you can do at home:
- Use preservative-free artificial tears.
- Apply a warm compress to your eyes.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule when you’re in front of a screen. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives your eyes a break and gives them a chance to recover.
- Drink water throughout the day, and run a humidifier in the rooms where you spend the most time.
Dry Eye Therapy with an Eye Doctor in Denver
A dry eye consultation includes an evaluation of your tear film, which gives your eye doctor a clearer picture of what’s happening with your eyes. From there, in-office options may include TearCare, IPL, or punctal plugs.
When to Book an Appointment
Consider scheduling a visit if your symptoms keep returning despite drops, if headaches show up alongside your dry eye, or if family members are noticing similar issues.
Our team at Cherry Creek Eye can evaluate what’s behind your symptoms and help you find relief. Call today to schedule your dry eye consultation.
