News
Article
Women advised to take part in Dry January to reduce dry eye risk
Author(s):
Key Takeaways
- Alcohol consumption increases the risk of dry eye disease in women, while it may have a mild protective effect in men.
- Optegra Eye Hospital advises women to participate in Dry January to reduce alcohol intake and improve eye health.
A study conducted on over 77,000 individuals found that alcohol consumption increased the risk of dry eye in women.
(Image Credit: AdobeStock/Mirko Vitali)
Optegra Eye Hospital, an independent healthcare provider in the UK, is urging women to take caution in the amount of alcohol they consume due to an increased risk of developing dry eye disease (DED).
The warning from Optegra1 comes after a study conducted in over 77,000 individuals found that alcohol consumption increased the risk of DED in women, but not in men. On the contrary, alcohol consumption (10g/day) in men had a mild protective effect on symptomatic DED.2
Optegra advised women to take part in Dry January, a month where participants go “dry” and abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages for the entire month.3
Nabila Jones, PhD, optometrist and research associate at Optegra said “whilst there are obvious health and wellbeing benefits for our bodies from not drinking alcohol, as it serves as a depressant for our central nervous system and slows important brain functions, there are also key benefits for both men’s and women’s eyes too. This January, give your eyes (and your health) a break!"
In order to minimize the impact of alcohol consumption on dry eyes, Optegra advised women1:
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before, during, and after consuming alcoholic beverages.
- Take part in Dry January to kick off 2025. Then consider reducing alcohol intake or opting for beverages with lower alcohol content
- Keep lubricating eye drops on hand to alleviate discomfort, especially when consuming alcohol
- Make a conscious effort to blink, especially when using electronic devices, to help spread tears across the eye surface
- Consider incorporating foods rich in vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids to support eye health
References:
Women warned about link between alcohol and dry eye syndrome. Morwood, Ryan; January 1, 2025. Accessed January 2, 2025. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/women-warned-between-alcohol-dry-033000639.html
Morten Schjerven Magno, Tishelle Daniel, Mathias Kaurstad Morthen, Harold Snieder, Nomdo Jansonius, Tor P. Utheim, Christopher J. Hammond, Jelle Vehof. The relationship between alcohol consumption and dry eye. The Ocular Surface, Volume 21, 2021. Pages 87-95. ISSN 1542-0124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2021.05.005
The origins of dry January. Burga, Solcyre. January 4, 2024. Accessed January 2, 2025. https://time.com/6552262/dry-january-origins-alcohol-drinking/
