Struggling with dry, irritated eyes? Learn how to spot symptoms of dry eye, what causes the condition, and discover potential treatments your eye doctor may recommend.
Have you ever felt like there was something like sand in your eyes only to find nothing there? Or maybe your eyes are watering uncontrollably but still feel dry and irritated? These could be signs of dry eye, a condition that occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or when the tears your eyes do produce aren’t stable enough to keep your eyes hydrated and protected. If you’re experiencing concerning levels of dry eye, reach out to your eye doctor.
Some common symptoms your eye doctor may ask you about are:
Staring at screens makes you blink less, which may lead to feelings of dryness in your eyes
Tear production naturally decreases as you get older
Air conditioning, heating, wind, and dry climates can draw moisture away from your eyes
Conditions like Sjögren’s syndrome or diabetes can reduce tear production
Drugs like antihistamines and antidepressants can interfere with tear production
Long-term contact lens use can disrupt the tear film and reduce eye moisture, especially if you don’t follow the wear and care instructions your eye doctor provided
It’s best to talk to the eye doctor about your specific symptoms so they can guide you in the direction of a diagnosis and potential treatment that may be right for you. Depending on how severe they find your eye dryness to be, treatments they may recommend might include over-the-counter eye drops and/or prescribed treatments and procedures.
If you wear contact lenses, it's possible you may notice dry eye symptoms more often. Contacts can sometimes disrupt your tear film by preventing tears from spreading evenly over your eye’s surface—which might lead to discomfort, itchiness, and blurry vision.
You should always talk to your eye doctor if you think your contacts are causing dry eye, but here are some tips they may recommend:
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Important Information for Contact Lens Wearers: ACUVUE Contact Lenses are available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by your eye doctor. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these conditions occurs, remove the lens and contact your eye doctor immediately. For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your eye care professional and ask for a Patient Instruction Guide, call 1-800-843-2020, or download the Patient Instruction Guides.
