Can Dry Eyes Cause Blindness? 4 Best Ways to Get Clear Vision

When you get old, you’ll wonder, “Can dry eyes cause blindness?” If you suffer from this dry eye condition, you are not alone. In the United States, approximately 20 million people (or roughly the population of New York) suffer from dry eye.  

People spend hundreds of dollars treating dry eyes syndrome so they don’t go blind. Dry eyes do not lead to blindness if treated promptly, and symptoms may include itchiness, irritation, redness, tears, and the possibility of strands of material falling into their eyes. 

Let’s look at the causes of dry eyes, the symptoms and signs, some severe complications, ways to treat it, and safety or preventive measures. 

Understanding Dry Eyes

When the lacrimal gland in the eyes produces decreased tears, the patient is more likely to develop dry eyes. The tear film contains oil, mucus, and water to lubricate the corneal tissues and prevent discomfort. Insufficient tear production can cause severe complications such as blurry or hazy vision, pain, or a foreign eye sensation.  

If the dry eye condition is not treated promptly, there is a greater risk of blindness or clouded vision. The lubricant ensures smooth blinking and clear vision. Insufficient tears will cause corneal abrasion or inflammation. 

The hormonal imbalance, medical conditions after refractive surgery that can be laser or IOL usage, and psychiatric are the spitting image of eye conditions. The ball will be in your court whether you have to make a decision quickly to recover from this dry eye condition or indulge in severe eye complications like vision loss or not have sharp vision. 

Can Dry Eyes Cause Blindness?

Yes, dry eyes can lead to blindness or vision loss. Dry eye disease can cause inflammation, punctate erosion, corneal abrasion, and blurry vision. The patient feels some irritation in the eyes. If these dry eye symptoms are not fixed in time, there is a higher risk of visual impairment. The vision will get blurry, and eventually, it causes the blindness condition.   

The dry eye condition will make the eyelid sticky, preventing it from blinking. The blinking of an ordinary person is about 840 to 1,020 per hour. If it is affected, then the natural lubrication process of the eyes leads to dry eyes and other eye disorders. 

Facts About Blindness

Almost 15 per cent of the world’s people with vision disorders end up being blind. Blindness is more common among the elderly than among the young.  

Case Study: Kathrine, 48, lives in Chicago and suffers from dry eyes. One morning, when she awoke, she tried to open her eyes but couldn’t because of her dry eye condition. She managed to open her eyes after 14 hours of struggle and the use of optical drops. This was the situation she faced due to her dry eye disease not being treated. 

What Causes Dry Eye Condition?

Various factors will cause dry eye syndrome, and people are thinking about the causes of dry eyes. The question that stresses a person about vision disorders is, “Can dry eyes cause blindness? Here are some common reasons an individual will have dry eyes if they are throwing caution to the wind.  

1. Age Or Gender:

More aged patients will be more likely to face dry eyes because of certain medical factors, including that in old age, the patient’s glands will slow the production of tear films. Due to weakened immune systems, females are more susceptible to dry eyes than males. 

2. Hormonal Imbalance:

The Second leading cause of dry eye symptoms is hormonal imbalance. This factor will disturb the visual ability of females, mainly because they suffer more hormonal imbalances like irregular periods, pregnancy, and disorders.  

3. Medical Ailment:

Some individuals are easily affected by dry eyes if they have medical conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, or Sjogren’s syndrome. Along with these, some medicines are causing dry eye side effects with benefits to a certain extent. Most of the drugs are for depression and allergies. 

4. Refractive Treatment Effects:

Eye refractive error treatment options such as LASIK, PRK, and SMILE cause dry eye conditions. Keeping contact lenses in the eyes will disturb the natural tear film production and release in the eyes.  

5. Caused by Lifestyle:

The last factor we discuss here is the living habits that bring changes in our health and visual changes. The excessive sitting of individuals in front of the screens will alter the vision. Undue screen time will cause dry eyes. People living in cities have more dry eyes. 

Complications Caused by Dry Eye

The patient would have to walk on eggshells if he got severe symptoms of dry eyes. The signs and symptoms would include  

• Punctate corneal erosion   
• Corneal abrasion or ulcer  
• Stinging and burning sensations  
• Inflammation and infections  
• Feeling something in the eyes that causes tearing. 

Digital Eye Strain Cause Visual Disorder

Nowadays, people are diverting more towards digital devices. The higher screen time will alter the blinking per hour and cause a decrease in tear production. You would have to reduce the screen time to prevent dry eyes.  

You can have complete control over your screen time. You can follow the 20-20-20 rule. This rule can alleviate your dry eyes and can improve your digital habits. 

How Frequently Does Dry Eye Last?

The condition lasts differently in different patients because of the severity of symptoms. The acute condition will last shorter than the chronic dry eye condition.  

Acute dry eye conditions will take about minutes to hours, and exposure to the digital screen and dusty environment are the triggering factors that occur suddenly.  

Meanwhile, chronic dry eye disorder takes days to months if appropriately treated. To avoid chronic conditions, you must seek optical consultation as soon as possible. 

How To Treat Dry Eyes?

Let’s explore the possible treatment options to treat dry eye disease.  

1. Artificial Tears  

This is the most common treatment option ophthalmologists prescribe to patients experiencing dry eye conditions. Patients would have to use artificial tears, ointments, or optical drops, particularly at night, so that no dust particle enters when the medicine is in the patient’s eye.  

2. Humidifiers  

The device occupied with lubricant is recommended for dry eye patients. It can soothe dry eye conditions.  

3. Flax Seed Oil Pills  

Most eye doctors prescribe oral medications and recommend taking flax seed oil pills to promptly tackle the dry eye condition.  

4. Punctal Plugs  

When the oral dose and artificial tears do not work as well as expected, then ophthalmologists prescribe a punctal plug (tear duct, a device) that will be the latest effective in permanently treating dry eye conditions. 

Self-Care Or Treatment At Home

1. Give your eyes enough rest.
2. Limit visual exposure to screens.  
3. Remove contact lenses at night.  
4. Use wraparound sunglasses when going outside.  
5. Take necessary vitamins essential for eye health.

Summary

It is concluded that treating dry eyes is not a risky proposition. If not treated, the dry eye condition can worsen, eventually leading to blindness. It can cause blurred vision in the early stages. If a patient neglects this disorder, he may experience symptoms such as common redness and rashes in the sclera.  

You might visit your eye specialist and use his services to overcome this visual impairment. Doctors advise people to wear sunglasses when going outside. 

Frequently Asked Questions

References: 

• Abbott, K. S., et al. (2024). Prevalence of dry eye disease in the low vision population at the University of Colorado. Journal of Optometry, 17(2), 100501.  
• Dry eye disease. (2020, May 27). American Academy of Ophthalmology.  
• Lee, S. Y., & Mesfin, F. B. (2023, January 21). Blindness. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf.  
• Wróbel‐Dudzińska, D., et al. (2023). Prevalence of Dry Eye Symptoms and Associated Risk Factors among University Students in Poland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(2), 1313.