Dry eyes are more common among the elderly, especially women. The spectrum of dry eyes can vary, with symptoms being mild to constant and severe. This article focuses on the impact of menopause on dry eyes.
Women and dry eyes
The risk of dry eyes is more in women over the age of 50. In fact, the prevalence of dry eyes has been reported to be a little less than 20% percent among women and about 10 percent among men.
Menopause and dry eyes
The risk of dry eyes increases with menopause. Even though we don’t know why this happens, women who are beginning to experience menopause or who are post-menopausal often complain of dry eyes. Also, women who’ve had dry eyes report of worsening of symptoms after menopause.
Is it the hormones
Experts believe that the balance of hormones that is disturbed by menopause probably causes dry eyes. However, contrary to logic, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) used to treat menopause does not decrease risk of dry eyes. In fact, HRT may actually increase your risk of dry eyes, and its severity.
You will be surprised to know that post-menopausal women on HRT have a higher prevalence of dry eye syndrome than women of the same age, who do not receive HRT. The risk is almost 70% higher if you are on estrogen, and about 30% higher if you are taking estrogen plus progesterone or progestin.
Also, the duration of HRT also impacts the dry eye syndrome. If you’ve had HRT for longer, you are at a higher risk for dry eyes.
What Can You Do
Discuss your problems with your doctor. Try the natural remedies. Cut down on screen time Eat better.
Other conditions which aggravate dry eyes
In addition to menopause, other conditions related to aging, like rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disease can also cause dry eyes. Your doctor will then evaluate your eye condition and advise you accordingly.
Medications which aggravate dry eyes
In fact, several prescription medicines, which are needed for other ailments can aggravate the dryness of your eyes. For example diuretics (often prescribed for heart conditions and high blood pressure) and antidepressants.
Other eye problems
If you are suffering from eye allergies, or if you are on glaucoma medications, you have a higher risk of dry eyes In fact, treatment of allergies will definitely improve your problems of dryness. Your doctor may also switch you to preservative free glaucoma medications or change the medication itself, to help you feel better.
What about lubricating eye drops?
Your doctor will prescribe lubricating eye drops after a through eye examination. A preservative free version usually works best for dry eyes. You can actually decide the frequency with which you use these eye drops. You may want to use them more frequently if you are uncomfortable.
A lubricating gel may also help. Your doctor may suggest punctal plugs to prevent the drainage of existing tears.
Chronic dry eye at our Gurgaon clinic is assessed with The C.L.E.A.R.™ Framework — a 5-step protocol using meibography and biomarker profiling to target root-cause therapy beyond lubricants.
This page is part of the Women’ Eye Health Hub. Please also read Menopause and Eye Health, Menopause and Dry Eyes, Myopia in Teenagers, Why Women Get Dry Eyes, Women’s Eye Health, PCOD and Eye Symptoms, and Why Women Neglect Their Eye Health.
This article is part of the Dry Eye Hub. Please also read Basics of Dry Eye, Dry Eye Second Opinion and Dry Eye: A Chronic Disease. Why Vision Becomes Blurred After Reading or Screen Use, and Why Are Your Dry Eye Drops Not Working may also help you understand your problem better.
You may also want to read this article on dry eyes written by Dr Bhartiya, and on how Menopause Is Quietly Changing Your Eyes for NDTV online. And listen to her talk about dry eyes here.
About the Author
This article was written by Dr Shibal Bhartiya, fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist and Mayo Clinic Research Collaborator, Clinical Director at Marengo Asia Hospitals, Gurugram, known for ethical, patient-centred glaucoma care and independent glaucoma second opinions. She is also the Program Director for Community Outreach & Wellness; and for the Marengo Asia International Institute of Neuro and Spine.
Dr Bhartiya has published peer-reviewed research onglaucoma management, examining how treatment decisions should balance medical evidence, patient preferences, and long-term vision outcomes. She is also a committed patient advocate and mainstream medical columnist, translating complex ophthalmic evidence into actionable public health insights across leading national platforms including NDTV and OnlyMyHealth
As Editor-in-Chief of Clinical and Experimental Vision and Eye Research and Executive Editor of the Journal of Current Glaucoma Practice (Pubmed Indexed, official journal of the International Society of Glaucoma Surgery), Dr Shibal Bhartiya brings editorial and research depth to every clinical decision. Her 200+ publications, including 90+ PubMed-indexed publications and 28 edited textbooks span glaucoma biology, surgical outcomes, health equity, and emerging diagnostics.
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Last Reviewed: October 2026