I second what Marchlove says about testosterone's relationship to dry eye & have copied in here & edited slightly what I posted on a thread on testosterone last year . . .
I spent some time researching HRT in relation to dry eye syndrome a couple of years ago when my pre-existing dry eye condition worsened after oophorectomy & suspected the consequent reduction in Testosterone was responsible. There is research suggesting that androgen deficiency is implicated in the development of dry eye but seems it's not straightforward & more research is needed. The following article is interesting, though I'm afraid it's rather long. I've scanned it & pulled out some extracts but for balance probably best to read the entire article if you have time & inclination. The bottom line seems to be they think it's an imbalance between the sex hormones that's important in dry eye - a relative deficiency of androgens, as confusingly apparently the high androgen state found in PCOS is also associated with dry eye.
So it's possible that anyone whose HRT regimen doesn't include one of the more androgenic progestogens (such as Norethisterone or Levonorgestrel) might find their dry eye symptoms (dryness in mouth & nose too) improve for adding a little testosterone. Mine did.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cxo.12147"Androgens impact on the structure and function of the meibomian and lacrimal glands and therefore androgen deficiency is, at least in part, associated with the aetiology of dry eye.
Loss of androgen support to the meibomian and lacrimal glands reduces the volume and/or stability of pre-ocular tears, decreasing the rate of tear turnover, increasing tear osmolarity and prolonging the exposure of the ocular surface to debris and microorganisms
In contrast, oestrogens appear to promote such inflammatory processes in the meibomian gland,14-16 ocular surface epithelia17, 18 and possibly the lacrimal gland;15, 19, 20 however, the role of oestrogen in dry eye is complex and remains unresolved.
The meibomian gland is an androgen target organ and its function is, at least in part, regulated by androgens.57, 60, 62, 68 Low androgenic activity may result in meibomian gland dysfunction, compromised meibomian gland secretions and therefore, evaporative dry eye . . .
Inherently lower levels of circulating androgens in women compared to men and the age-related reduction in gonadal androgen production in both sexes52, 73 may contribute to increased risk of dry eye in these populations.
The presence of oestrogen and progesterone receptors in the meibomian glands of human and various animal species suggests that this tissue is predisposed to the influence of female sex hormones.60, 94, 95 The influence of oestrogen on the meibomian gland appears to antagonise the actions of androgen, with resultant effects on suppression of lipid synthesis and promotion of meibomian gland dysfunction and thus evaporative dry eye.15 The antagonistic effects of oestrogen may help to explain the exacerbation of signs and symptoms of dry eye in post-menopausal women using oestrogen replacement therapy; however, the direct influence of oestrogen and progesterone on the human meibomian gland is yet to be understood . . .
. . . it may be the reduction in androgen action, rather than increased oestrogen action per se, that is responsible for the higher prevalence of dry eye in women. This provides a plausible explanation for the increased frequency of dry eye in post-menopausal women despite the cessation of ovarian oestradiol production.
The lacrimal gland, like the meibomian gland, is a target organ for androgens,104 which have a significant influence on the sex-related structural, functional and pathological characteristics of this tissue.50, 105, 107, 111 A reduction in androgen influence with autoimmune disease such as Sjögren's syndrome, results in inflammatory changes in the lacrimal gland, which leads to aqueous-deficient dry eye.
Dry eye in women has been attributed to their relatively low levels of serum androgen, which has anti-inflammatory effects on the ocular surface.
Current evidence indicates that it may be an imbalance of relative levels of androgens, oestrogens and progesterones in the circulation that triggers (or once triggered, alters the outcome of) inflammatory processes within the ocular structures of the lacrimal functional unit and forms the basis for the pathogenesis of dry eye."
I hope this helps.
Wx
Author
Topic: dry eyes / sinusitis - affecting vision and health (Read 2907 times)