How can hormonal imbalance affect eye health?
APR 09, 2012
Question:
How can hormonal imbalance affect eye health, specifically, the glands that produce the oil that helps your tears "sit" on your eye?
Answer:
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been shown to reduce meibomian gland inflammation which theoretically should increase the duration of action of a person's natural tears and improve patient comfort. Although theoretically benefits may occur, they have yet to be proven. Estrogen replacement, however, has been proven to decrease tear production in many post menopausal women and may make their dry eye condition more symptomatic. I suggest you visit your ophthalmologist for an opinion that takes your unique health situation into consideration.