Have you ever woken up with blurry vision and wondered why? It could be that your dry eyes are to blame. Dry eye is a common and often chronic condition. It’s characterized by decreased tear production and can result in symptoms such as blurred vision, burning eyes, heavy eyelids, redness, stringy mucus discharge, or a gritty feeling.
So, yes, dry eyes can cause blurry vision, and if left unmanaged for too long, they can risk your overall eye health. But if caught early enough, your dry eye symptoms can be managed and lessened with various options.
What Is Dry Eye & How Can It Impact Vision Quality?
Tears are essential for lubricating and nourishing your eyes, keeping them comfortable and healthy. Dry eye occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or produce tears of poor quality, resulting in dryness and irritation.
When we blink, tears spread across the surface of the eye, creating a smooth layer that helps to refract light properly. However, when tears are deficient due to dry eye, the surface of the eye becomes irregular, causing light to scatter instead of focusing sharply. This scattering of light leads to blurry vision.
Dry eye can cause other symptoms as well, like:
- Eye redness
- Stinging
- Burning
- Grittiness
- Scratchiness
- Light sensitivity
- Foreign body sensation
Dry eye can lead to difficulty concentrating, working, or performing simple daily tasks like driving. Prolonged and severe dry eye can damage and potentially scar the delicate tissues of the cornea, leading to impaired vision. Dry eye can also increase irritation and the risk of eye infections, making wearing contact lenses more challenging and uncomfortable.
Although this condition is commonly associated with aging, hormonal changes, and certain medications, anyone of any age can develop it.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of dry eye or blurry vision, it’s important to seek medical attention. Your eye doctor can provide you with appropriate treatments and help you manage any underlying conditions that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Treatments for Dry Eye & Tips on Preventing Blurry Vision
Dry eye is often chronic, so there is no cure. But it can be managed to help alleviate symptoms and provide you with relief and comfortable vision.
Dry eye therapies usually include artificial tears, which are available over the counter, to help lubricate and rewet the eyes. If these aren’t effective, your optometrist may prescribe eye drops, such as Restasis or Xiidra, to increase tear production.
In addition to these treatments, you can also take some preventive measures to avoid blurry vision, such as:
- Maintaining a healthy diet rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
- Avoiding prolonged periods of screen time.
- Avoiding smoke, wind, and air conditioning.
- Using a humidifier to keep the air from getting too dry.
- Wearing wraparound sunglasses outside.
- Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water every day.
- Sleeping about 7 to 8 hours a night.
By incorporating these treatments and tips into your daily routine, you can take control of your dry eyes and help prevent blurry vision from disrupting your daily life.
Other Conditions That Can Cause Blurry Vision
Dry eyes can be more than just a nuisance; they may also be a symptom of other underlying health conditions. Several medical conditions like diabetes, lupus, and thyroid disorders are known to cause dry eyes. Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Graves’ disease, scleroderma, and Sjögren’s syndrome can also cause dry eyes.
Additionally, certain medications have ocular side effects and can contribute to dry eyes. Recognizing a link between your dry eyes and other health conditions is essential for getting you the proper treatment.
Clearing Up the Situation
Taking proper care of our eyesight cannot be overstated, and having a good handle on one’s risk for dry eye syndrome is vital for preventing blurry vision. Being aware of the symptoms, risk factors, treatments, and preventive measures when it comes to dry eyes and the development of vision problems can help lessen the negative visual impacts of this condition.
We offer comprehensive dry eye assessment and management options at Vivid Eye Care in Calgary. If you have blurry vision or other symptoms of dry eyes, our team is here to help. Please do not hesitate to contact us—we’re here and ready to assist!
