Dry Eyes
Dry eyes can cause tension headaches. If you have dry eyes (or have never had your eyes checked), you may be experiencing tension headaches without even knowing it.
A study published in the journal Headache reported that 27% of patients with chronic tension headache also experienced significant symptoms of dry eye syndrome—and this was a study of only the patients who could readily identify the symptoms of dry eye syndrome. So it can be assumed that this percentage is probably much higher when calculating for all people with tension headaches.
New studies have identified biomarkers in the tears of people with chronic tension headaches that can help identify patients who are likely to experience dry eye syndrome and are, therefore, likely to benefit from future treatments.
The primary cause of dry eyes is insufficient tear production due to inflammation around the gland openings in the inner corner of the eye (known as the lacrimal puncta). These openings are where tears drain out onto the eyelids. As a result, they can’t produce enough tears to keep the eyes lubricated when inflamed.
