Dry eye might seem like a minor annoyance, but this common condition can seriously impact how you see the world around you. When your tears don’t work properly, your vision often pays the price.
Dry eye can affect your vision through blurry sight, light sensitivity, contact lens problems, and increased infection risk. Your Northern Lights Optometry team can help identify these issues early and provide treatment options to protect your eyesight.
What Is Dry Eye and How Does It Impact Your Eyes?
Dry eye happens when your tear film doesn’t function properly to keep your eyes moist and comfortable. Your tears do more than just keep your eyes wet; they help you see clearly by creating a smooth surface over your cornea (the clear front surface of the eye).
Two Main Types of Dry Eye
You can develop dry eye in two main ways that affect your vision differently. Evaporative dry eye occurs when the oil glands that line your eyelids get blocked, causing your tears to evaporate too quickly.
Aqueous-deficient dry eye means your eyes don’t produce enough tears to stay properly lubricated. Both types can cause symptoms like burning, stinging, redness, and the feeling that something is stuck in your eye.
Blurry Vision and Daily Visual Challenges
When your tear film becomes unstable, your vision can fluctuate throughout the day. You might notice that your sight becomes intermittently blurry.
How Unstable Tears Affect Clear Sight
Your tear film is a component of the optical system of your eye which is used to focus light. When this film breaks down, you may struggle to maintain clear focus.
Many people with dry eye find their vision gets worse as the day progresses, especially after spending time looking at screens. Nighttime driving becomes particularly challenging when streetlights and headlights appear blurry or with halos around them.
Light Sensitivity That Disrupts Your Routine
Bright lights can become more intense when you have dry eye, and can make everyday activities uncomfortable. This sensitivity, called photophobia, happens because your cornea becomes more irritated.
Why Bright Lights Become Uncomfortable
Your cornea has more nerve endings than almost any other part of your body. When dry eye leaves your cornea unprotected, even normal lighting can trigger discomfort and irritation
You might find yourself squinting indoors, avoiding sunny days, or struggling to use your phone or computer. This sensitivity can limit your ability to enjoy outdoor activities or work comfortably in bright environments. Consider protective sunglasses as part of your comfort strategy.
Contact Lens Problems
Contact lenses rely on your natural tear film to stay comfortable and to help move them properly on your eye. When you have dry eye, wearing contacts becomes difficult or impossible. You might notice your contacts feel uncomfortable within hours of putting them in, instead of staying comfortable all day.
Higher Risk of Eye Infections
Your tears contain natural antibodies and proteins that fight off bacteria and other harmful organisms. When you don’t produce enough quality tears, your eyes can lose this protective barrier.
How Tears Protect Against Bacteria
Healthy tears wash away debris and germs that could cause infections. Without this natural cleaning system, bacteria can build up on your eye’s surface.
Watch for warning signs like increased redness, discharge, or pain. These symptoms might indicate that a simple dry eye problem has developed into a more serious infection that needs immediate attention.
Treatment Options
Modern eye care offers many effective ways to treat dry eye and protect your vision. Your eye doctor can determine which treatments work for your specific type of dry eye.
A warm compress can help unblock oil glands that line your eyelids to improve tear quality. Preservative-free artificial tears help to provide relief without the irritation that preserved drops can cause in some cases.
Eye Care Tailored to You
A professional assessment from your optometrist helps you get the right combination of treatments for you. Our team at Northern Lights Optometry can diagnose and treat dry eye effectively, helping protect your vision for years to come. Consider booking your dry eye assessment today.
