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Question answered:28/03/08
According to the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare:
"There appears to be a complex relationship between sex hormone levels and tear function. It has been postulated for example, that androgens are important in increasing the secretory activity of the meibomian glands, which produce the outer lipid layer of tears. Data from a large prospective cohort study suggest that women who use HRT, particularly oestrogen alone, are at increased risk of dry eye syndrome with increasing duration of use but this may also be influenced by age.
Certain drugs are known to cause reduced tear flow and these include diuretics, antimuscarinic drugs (antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotic), atropine, oral contraceptives and beta-blockers. This reduced tear flow may consequently cause discomfort in contact lens wearers. The CEU was unable to find any studies that have compared the effects of different brands of COCs on eye irritation.
The American Optometric Association advises that when possible, environmental factors contributing to dry eye should be identified and modified or eliminated. The CEU can therefore only advise that contact lens wearers experiencing discomfort may be advised to try a different method of contraception and see if their symptoms subsequently improve."
Source: http://www.fsrh.org/admin/uploads/No.2266.pdf
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