We’ve all heard the recommendations and know we should be drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day, but have we ever really stopped to ask ourselves what the real-world impact of dehydration is and the toll it takes on our bodies.

“Are you drinking enough water?” is frequently the response you’ll hear from friends and family when it comes to a number of ailments.

Headache? Water.
Digestive issues? Water.
Aching joints? Water.

And although hydration isn’t always the answer, drinking water consistently throughout the day does play its part in keeping our eyes and other organs healthy, our body temperature regulated, and our energy levels high.

There are many parts of modern life that contribute to dehydration besides simply not drinking enough water. Caffeine intake, a high salt diet, computer screens, alcohol consumption, prescription medication, and stress all lead to dehydration. And as our eyes rely on fluid to function, this spells bad news for our vision.

The high water content of our eyes, coupled with their heavy dependence on fluids to function healthily, means that our level of hydration is directly associated with our level of risk when it comes to certain eye conditions.

The body's initial response to dehydration is to preserve the amount of fluid that remains available to it by conserving water. This leads to various symptoms that we typically associate with dehydration, including thirst, decreased urine output, muscle cramps, light-headedness and headaches, but it also leads to a decrease in tear production. When the eyes stop producing tears, they are no longer adequately lubricated, and this can lead to vision problems such as dry eye syndrome and eyestrain.

The symptoms of dry eye syndrome include dryness, sensitivity to light, stinging, redness, watery eyes and fatigue. The condition itself is also a risk factor when it comes to other diseases as well, such as retinal vascular disease and cataracts.

Dehydration can creep up on us in a number of ways without us realising. For example, did you know that stress can directly impact dehydration? Being under pressure for extended periods can exhaust the adrenal glands, decreasing the production of aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone that helps regulate the body’s level of fluid and electrolytes. We often mistake the cause of the associated tiredness, headaches and dry mouth as a sign that we haven’t been physically consuming enough water, but that is likely not the case. Although it could of course be a factor as, ironically, dehydration can be the cause of stress as well as stress being a cause of dehydration.

It’s important to remember that staying hydrated goes beyond simply drinking more water. Changing our habits today can help us maintain our vision tomorrow.

Sources:

1. Optimax.
2. London Vision Clinic.
3. Essilorusa.
4. Healthline.