### How Hormones Affect Dry Eye If you're experiencing dry eye, hormones might be the culprit. Hormones like estrogen, insulin, and thyroid hormone travel throughout the body and can impact your eyes. Here's how: #### Estrogen and Sex Hormones Women are more prone to dry eye, especially as they age. This is due to fluctuating levels of estrogen and other sex hormones. Menopause, pregnancy, and birth control pills can all lead to changes in hormone levels, increasing the risk of dry eye. Some studies suggest that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can either worsen or improve dry eye symptoms. #### Insulin and Diabetes People with diabetes, whether type 1 or type 2, are more likely to experience dry eye. Low insulin levels can make it difficult for the lacrimal gland to produce tears. Taking insulin may help alleviate some of these issues. #### Thyroid Hormone Changes in thyroid hormone levels, often due to autoimmune diseases like Graves' disease or Hashimoto's disease, can also cause dry eye. These conditions can affect tear production and eye moisture, leading to dry eye symptoms. Understanding the role of these hormones can help in managing and treating dry eye effectively.