DRY EYE

Do your eyes feel gritty or sore? Are they often red, tired, inflamed or dry? Do they water a lot, or feel more sensitive to irritants? Do you frequently experience a foreign body sensation in your eyes, or discomfort when wearing contact lenses? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you may be suffering from dry eye. While it’s also worth reaching out to an eye care expert for confirmation of your diagnosis, there are some common signs and symptoms that you can watch out for.

What is Dry Eye?

When eyes become inflamed and sore, this can mean that you’re experiencing dry eye. Whether this is because your eyes aren’t producing enough tears, your tears are evaporating too quickly or you’re experiencing a mixture of the two, these can be common causes. One of the most common causes of this eye condition is chronic inflammation of the eyelids, known as blepharitis.

How common is dry eye?

Approximately 1 in 3 adults, even as many as half of adults in the UK¹, are diagnosed with dry eye and many will experience symptoms when they spend time in specific environments or do certain activities. Spending too much time in air-conditioned spaces or staring at computer screens for long periods are just some everyday situations that can lead to dry eyes.

Am I at risk of getting dry eye?

Your likelihood of experiencing signs and symptoms of dry eye may be impacted by several factors, including your age, hormonal changes and other health conditions you may have. People over the age of 50 can also be an at-risk group for dry eye due to tear production diminishing with age.²

Women also tend to be more likely to experience dry eye symptoms because of hormonal changes that can happen when using birth control, during pregnancy or throughout the menopause. These situations can cause a lack of tears, which may lead to dry eye.

Other factors such as screen usage and exposure to pollutants may also contribute to your risk of developing dry eye.

Learn more about dry eye

To learn out more about the range of symptoms, causes, treatment and management methods for dry eye, click the links below.

DRY EYE SYMPTOMS

DRY EYE CAUSES

MANAGE DRY EYE

Dry Eye FAQs

Can you get dry eye in one eye?

For the majority of people suffering from dry eyes, both eyes will be affected. But, in some cases, somebody can experience symptoms in just one eye. There may be several reasons why this happens, so it’s important to see an eye care professional who can help pinpoint the causes.

Can dry eye cause vision impairment?

Dry eye has no association with vision impairment, especially when it has been diagnosed and managed properly. If you have further queries or concerns about visual impairment, we recommend contacting your eye care professional.

Does dry eye go away?

Whether or not dry eye will go away is often dependent on what caused it in the first place and the other factors at play. For some, it can be temporary, while others may experience it as a chronic longer-term condition.

What are the most suitable eye drops for dry eye?

We highly recommend using preservative-free hydrating and lubricating eye drops to alleviate symptoms without causing further irritation and sensitivity which can sometimes occur with preserved treatments. From the Théa range, we’d suggest trying Thealoz® Duo and Hyabak® eye drops since these are preservative-free and perfect for the daily care of dry eye.

Does dry eye cause pain?

The main symptoms of dry eye are gritty and sore eyes, which might be painful to experience for some. If you have further queries or concerns, we recommend contacting your eye care professional.

Products for Dry Eye

If you’re searching for the right product to help manage the symptoms of dry eye, check out some of our top suggestions available to purchase via the links below.

References:
1. Sullivan BD et al. Clin Ophthalmol. 2024;18:743-753; Vidal-Rohr M et al Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2023 Jun;46(3):101837.
2. RNIB

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