Dry eye does not always feel simply “dry.” Your eyes may burn, water, itch, feel gritty, or become blurry at different points throughout the day. Contact lenses may become harder to wear, and bright light may feel more uncomfortable than before.
These symptoms can be frustrating, especially when they keep returning despite eye drops or changes to your routine. Recognizing dry eye symptoms is an important first step, but symptoms alone cannot tell you what is causing them.
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Dry eye symptoms can vary from person to person and may change throughout the day. Some people notice constant irritation, while others experience symptoms only during certain activities or in certain environments.
Common dry eye symptoms include:
Dry eye can contribute to blurry or fluctuating vision because the tear film helps create a smooth optical surface across the front of your eye. When that tear layer becomes unstable, your vision may briefly lose clarity.
Some people notice that their vision clears after blinking, then becomes blurry again. Others notice more difficulty after long periods of reading, computer work, or other activities that require sustained visual attention.
Watery eyes can sound like the opposite of dry eye, but the two can occur together. When the surface of your eye becomes irritated, your eyes may produce a rush of reflex tears. These watery tears can spill onto your cheeks without creating the stable tear film your eyes need for lasting comfort.
Burning, redness, watering, itching, and blurry vision do not point to one diagnosis on their own.
Dry eye can involve different parts of the tear film, eyelids, eye surface, and meibomian glands, which are the small oil-producing glands along the eyelids. Other eye conditions can also create similar symptoms.
That is why NuVision Centers does not rely on a symptom list alone to determine what is happening. Your symptoms tell us how your eyes feel. A comprehensive dry eye evaluation allows us to look more closely at what may be contributing to them.
Occasional eye irritation does not always mean you have dry eye disease. Consider a dry eye evaluation if:
The purpose of an evaluation is not simply to confirm that your eyes feel dry. It is to investigate what may be contributing to your symptoms so you can better understand your options.
You know when your eyes do not feel normal. At NuVision Centers, we listen to what you have been experiencing and look beyond the symptom itself. Our Dry Eye Center in Scottsdale uses a comprehensive evaluation process to examine the tear film, eye surface, eyelids, and meibomian glands. If dry eye symptoms are persistent or already affecting your comfort and vision, request a Dry Eye Evaluation so our team can take a closer look.