If your eyes feel dry and itchy, you need to know some facts.

Having dry, itchy, and irritated eyes can quickly become a daily hassle. If you’re experiencing these problems, you’re not alone. 40% of Americans suffer from occasional dry eye. According to the US National Library of Medicine, “Occasional dry eye is described as a “multifactorial [eye health concern,]” affecting tears and the ocular surface.”

The development of occasional dry eye has many causes, including:

1. Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD) 70%of occasional dry eye cases are MGD related. The abnormality of the meibomian gland is characterized by terminal tear duct obstruction, or quality of quantity in gland secretions.
2. Contact Lenses It is estimated that up to 50% of contact lenses wearers stop wearing their contacts because their eyes feel very dry. When wearing contact lenses, your eyes must be very lubricated. Eye drops often exacerbate occasional dry eye in contact wearers as well, so natural tear lubrication is vital.
3. Seasonal Dry Eye Certain seasons can cause and exacerbate occasional dry eye. In the winter months, home heating systems kick on which makes the air around your home drier. This causes tears to evaporate more quickly.