Are your eyes dry, itchy, and irritated? These are common signs of a chronic eye condition called dry eye syndrome.
You are not alone if you have been diagnosed with dry eye syndrome. More than 10 million Americans are estimated to suffer from this common eye condition.
Dry eye syndrome occurs when your eyes produce tears with less of the naturally occurring oils that help lubricate the eye and allow you to see comfortably. Dry eye syndrome does more than make your eyes feel uncomfortable.
It can also make the everyday parts of your life or your hobbies more challenging. Keep reading to learn about 7 things dry eye syndrome makes more challenging.
1. Driving
If you are like most Americans, you get in your car and drive multiple times a day. Whether it’s a trip to the grocery store or your commute to work, driving is a routine activity in people’s everyday lives.
Visual distortions, such as halos or glare, are a common symptom of dry eye syndrome and can make it difficult to see while driving, especially at night. Your ability to drive might also be affected by an increased sensitivity to light, making streetlamps and bright headlights almost painful to look at.
2. Using an Electronic Device
Like driving, using a computer, smartphone, or tablet is something you do every day. Whether for work, checking in with loved ones on social media, or watching a classic movie, you likely look at a few screens daily.
If you have dry eye syndrome, it can be difficult for your eyes to focus on electronic screens, leading to eye strain and acute eye discomfort. The eye strain caused by dry eye syndrome can lead to other health problems, like headaches and nausea. Your eyes may also feel dry on top of the discomfort that comes with eye strain.
3. Reading
If you like to relax by losing yourself in the pages of a good book, having dry eye syndrome can prevent you from enjoying that simple pleasure. The condition can cause your eyes to become irritated and uncomfortable as you follow words on a page and impair your concentration and focus.
Irritated eyes are not the only way dry eye syndrome makes reading more challenging. Studies have shown that having dry eye syndrome can slow a person’s reading speed by as much as 10 percent.
It can make it difficult to read for more than an average of 30 minutes at a time. If your dry eyes feel like they are standing in the way of living your best life, dry eye syndrome may be the culprit.
4. Wearing Contact Lenses
If you don’t like how you look in glasses, you are probably happy that contact lenses are another, less obvious way to correct your vision. Unfortunately, if you develop dry eye syndrome, contact lenses can be uncomfortable, if not impossible, to wear.
Wearing contact lenses may become difficult, leading you to rely more on your glasses. The lack of natural lubrication caused by dry eye syndrome prevents contact lenses from staying moist, causing irritation.
Contact lenses sit directly on the cornea, which can result in your eyes not getting enough oxygen. It can also mean your eyes are not lubricated enough, making them feel dry.
When your eyes lack proper lubrication, it can cause more concerning problems, like corneal ulcers or scarring.
5. Performing Manual Tasks
Every day, you perform countless tasks that require a certain level of good hand-eye coordination. These tasks can be anything from simply tying your shoe to working on an intricate needlepoint project.
Dry eye syndrome can blur or impair your vision, affecting your visual perception. Impaired visual perception can cause hand-eye coordination problems, making it difficult to perform tasks that require precise hand movements.
6. Participating in Sports
If you are an avid golfer or an ace on the tennis courts, dry eye syndrome can affect your game. Almost all sports require good vision, which the effects of dry eye syndrome can compromise.
Dry eye syndrome can cause problems with visual clarity and depth perception, making participating in sports like golf and tennis challenging. Other symptoms, like excessively watery eyes, can make it hard to enjoy a day of fun physical activity freely. Your eyes may hinder you from getting in the zone or playing your best.
7. Being in Dry or Windy Environments
Many dream about living in an arid climate year-round, enjoying the sunshine while cooled by a dry breeze. However, this dream climate could worsen your condition if you have dry eye syndrome.
The symptoms of dry eye syndrome can be aggravated by dry or windy environments, making it more challenging in these conditions. Additionally, spending long periods in air-conditioned environments can leave you with burning and scratchy eyes.
While dry eye syndrome makes all these things more challenging, some treatments can help manage your symptoms so you don’t miss out on life. Depending on your diagnosis, there are over-the-counter or prescription eye drops.
For more severe cases, surgical options can resolve blockages in the tear ducts or damage to the cornea surface. If you have dry eye syndrome or are experiencing the symptoms of dry eye syndrome, see your eye doctor to explore your treatment options.
If left untreated, dry eye syndrome can cause serious eye health complications like infections or ulcers. Batra Vision Medical Group has the knowledge and the resources to diagnose and treat dry eye syndrome accurately.
We will treat you depending on the severity of your symptoms and their root cause. Knowing this information will lead to the most accurate treatment and ensure you get the relief from dry eyes you need.
Are you tired of living with dry eyes? Do something about it by requesting an appointment at Batra Vision in San Leandro, CA, now!
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