Many people living with dry eye feel misunderstood and unsatisfied with their treatment, according to a new survey.
Health Union interviewed 415 Americans with chronic dry eye about their experience managing the condition. Here’s what the survey found, and what eye doctors say could help.
The most frustrating thing about dry eye is …
Difficulty finding relief from dry eye symptoms
- Almost half (48%) of patients with dry eye said they followed their treatment plan carefully, but only 13% experienced lasting relief
- Most people say that over-the-counter eye drops alone do not provide sufficient relief, and seek out additional treatments
- Home remedies include drinking additional water throughout the day (reported by 76% of survey respondents), using a warm compress (56%), blinking often (52%), avoiding cigarettes and secondhand smoke (45%) and thoroughly removing eye makeup (34%)
Struggling with the debilitating symptoms of dry eye
- Many people struggle with multiple symptoms such as dryness (76%), foreign body sensation (64%), eye fatigue (62%), light sensitivity (62%) and blurred vision (60%), as well as burning, scratchiness and itchiness.
- Dry eye interferes with many aspects of everyday life, including driving at night (56%), reading (42%), using a computer (34%) and watching television (24%).
Learn more from the American Academy of Ophthalmology
