Alcohol consumption may aggravate dry eye
Researchers analyzed tear film and ocular surface changes in 10 healthy subjects and controls who drank a measured dose of alcohol with a meal at dinner. Alcohol was secreted into the tears four hours later, resulting in a mean increase in tear osmolarity level compared with controls (P<0.001), and a significantly shorter TBUT (P<0.001) at four hours and the next morning. They also showed higher fluorescein staining scores the next morning. They conclude that alcohol can induce transient dry eye syndrome, and may aggravate signs and symptoms of dry eye. Ophthalmology medical journal, May 2012
POSTED BY THE EYE MD OPHTHALMOLOGISTS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY