Have you ever noticed your vision seems fine one moment, then blurry the next? Is this accompanied by other frustrating symptoms, such as dryness and irritation?
While many assume vision problems always stem from needing glasses or contacts, dry eye can sometimes be the real culprit behind fluctuating or unclear eyesight. Keep reading to learn how dry eye relates to vision problems and what Metro Eye Care can do to help restore your visual clarity.
How Dry Eye Affects Your Vision
Tears are essential to your eye health and vision. They form a smooth, protective film over your cornea that allows light to pass through clearly and focus properly on your retina.
This tear film has three layers (water, oil, and mucus) that work together to keep your eyes moist, healthy, and free from irritants and debris. When any of these layers becomes disrupted, your tear film becomes unstable.
This not only leads to dryness and discomfort but also to vision problems. An unstable tear film creates an uneven surface on your eye. Light passing through this irregular surface scatters rather than focusing precisely, resulting in blurry or fluctuating vision.
You might find your eyesight clears temporarily after blinking, only to blur again moments later. This happens because blinking briefly restores your tear film before it breaks down again.
Common Dry Eye Symptoms That Impact Vision
The most common vision-related symptom of dry eye is inconsistent clarity. Your eyesight might be sharp when you first wake up, then deteriorate throughout the day as your tears evaporate.
Activities requiring sustained focus, like reading or computer work, often make this worse because you blink less frequently during these tasks. Along with blurry vision, dry eye typically causes burning, stinging, or a gritty sensation in your eyes.
Many people describe feeling like sand or an eyelash is stuck in their eye that won’t come out. You may also notice increased sensitivity to bright lights or glare, making it uncomfortable to be outdoors on sunny days or to drive at night.
Something that puzzles many patients is that dry eye can, ironically, cause excessive tearing. When your meibomian glands don’t produce enough oil for your tear film, the watery layer evaporates too quickly.
Your lacrimal glands try to compensate by producing more water, leading to tears running down your cheeks. This reflex tearing doesn’t solve the underlying problem because your tears still lack the oily layer needed to prevent evaporation, and can cause blurry vision, especially in windy or smoky conditions.
What You Can Do About Dry Eye
The good news is that dry eye is highly treatable. Metro Eye Care offers comprehensive evaluations to identify the cause of your dry eye symptoms and provide personalized treatment options.
These treatment options range from simple solutions like artificial tears and warm compresses to advanced therapies, including prescription anti-inflammatory drops, punctal plugs, and specialized treatments like MiBoThermoflo. Many patients try different treatments before finding the one that works best for them.
Some environmental adjustments can also make a significant difference alongside medical treatments, like using a humidifier or taking regular screen breaks.
Find Relief for Your Dry Eye
If you’ve been struggling with vision problems, dryness, or constant eye irritation, dry eye treatment with the experienced professionals at Metro Eye Care could be the answer. Schedule an appointment at Metro Eye Care in Paramus, NJ, to find the proper treatment to restore your vision and comfort.
