My eyes got dry right after starting a new medication. Coincidence?

Possibly not — timing is a real clue. Bring the start date to your evaluation; it helps us weigh the mechanism and the fix.

Will the dryness go away if the medication ever stops?

Often it eases, but not always — some medicines change gland behavior for a while. That is why we image rather than assume.

Can you work with my physician?

Yes — with your consent we share findings with your prescriber so any adjustment decision is informed on both sides.

Could a timing or dose change help my eyes?

Sometimes meaningfully — with your consent we flag the likely contributor to your prescriber, and small adjustments made on their side often ease the eye side without touching your treatment goals.

Should I stop a medication that dries my eyes?

Not on your own. Keep taking it and bring your medication list to your evaluation: we treat the eye’s surface and, with your consent, talk with your prescriber about options. Isotretinoin is the exception: its Medication Guide says to stop taking it and tell your prescriber right away if your vision changes, and its prescribing information calls for an eye exam.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Bijan Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed October 27, 2026

Medications That Cause Dry Eye

Sometimes the culprit is in the medicine cabinet.

Plenty of excellent medications have one quiet side effect in common: drier eyes. Knowing which ones — and telling us what you take — often explains a dryness that drops alone never fixed. The goal is never to stop needed medicine; it is to treat the eyes with that medicine in the picture.

Book appointmentOr call 310-828-2010 Accepted insurance

A weekly pill organizer beside reading glasses

Common culprits: Allergy, mood, acne, BP medicines
The mechanism: Less tear volume or thinner oil
Never: Stop a medication on your own
Instead: Treat the glands around it

The usual suspects

Medicines that commonly dry the surface.

Antihistamines & decongestants: Oral allergy pills (diphenhydramine, loratadine, cetirizine) and antihistamine drops are the heaviest hitters for tear volume; they quiet the lacrimal glands along with the sneeze.
Antidepressants & anxiety medicines: Tricyclics and many SSRIs (amitriptyline, sertraline, fluoxetine) carry drying anticholinergic effects that build over long-term use.
Blood-pressure medicines: Beta blockers (metoprolol, atenolol) dial down gland secretion; diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide) shrink fluid volume everywhere, tears included.
Hormonal medicines: Oral contraceptives, hormone replacement and anti-androgen therapy shift the hormones that run the oil glands. The same axis is behind menopausal dry eye.
Acne medication (isotretinoin): Suppresses the meibomian glands directly and can change their structure lastingly — we image glands for patients on or after a course; Dr. Brandon has written about it in the journal. If your vision changes while you take it, its Medication Guide says to stop taking it and tell your prescriber right away.
Anticholinergics across medicine: Bladder medicines (oxybutynin), motion-sickness patches (scopolamine) and some Parkinson’s and psychiatric drugs dry every secreting gland they meet.

Read: Accutane and the meibomian glands →

The plan

Keep the medicine. Fix the eyes.

01
Bring the full list
The intake form asks about prescriptions, supplements and drops for a reason.
02
Image, don’t guess
Meibography shows whether glands are blocked, inflamed or thinning, so treatment matches the mechanism.
03
Treat around the medication
Preservative-free tears on a schedule, gland treatment like IPL or OptiLIFT when oil is failing, plugs when volume is low.
04
Coordinate, never cancel
If a medication seems central, our eye doctors in Los Angeles talk with your prescriber about options — changes are their call and yours, never a surprise.

Worth saying twice

Do not stop a prescribed medication over dry eyes.

Dryness is manageable; untreated blood pressure or depression is not
We treat the surface with your regimen in the picture
Prescriber conversations happen with your consent, through proper channels

Book a dry eye evaluation

Common questions

Medications & dry eye, answered.

Anything else, call the office at 310-828-2010.

Possibly not — timing is a real clue. Bring the start date to your evaluation; it helps us weigh the mechanism and the fix.
Often it eases, but not always — some medicines change gland behavior for a while. That is why we image rather than assume.
Yes — with your consent we share findings with your prescriber so any adjustment decision is informed on both sides.
Sometimes meaningfully — with your consent we flag the likely contributor to your prescriber, and small adjustments made on their side often ease the eye side without touching your treatment goals.
Not on your own. Keep taking it and bring your medication list to your evaluation: we treat the eye’s surface and, with your consent, talk with your prescriber about options. Isotretinoin is the exception: its Medication Guide says to stop taking it and tell your prescriber right away if your vision changes, and its prescribing information calls for an eye exam.

Medications & dry eye near you

12222 Wilshire Blvd, on the Santa Monica border.

West Los Angeles Brentwood Santa Monica Westwood Beverly Hills Culver City Pacific Palisades West Hollywood Marina del Rey Newport Beach

Also consider

Next step

Suspect your medicine cabinet?

Bring the list. The evaluation reads your glands alongside it and builds a plan that keeps both your eyes and your treatment on track.

Book an evaluation Or call 310-828-2010