5 Signs You Should See A Doctor For Dry Eyes

A scratchy feeling in eyes, heavy eyelids, burn, and ache; these are common symptoms of Dry Eyes. It is a condition in which a person doesn’t have enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Trusted Source Dry Eye American Optometric Association Go to Source ¹

As we spend more hours focused on digital screens, our eyes get an exhausting endurance workout that results in dry eyes. Trusted Source Computer Vision Syndrome American Optometric Association Go to Source ² It also occurs due to aging, hormonal changes in women, and as a side effect of certain medications. Wildfires and smoke in high heat threat zones may increase the risk of dry eyes as well. Trusted Source 15 Causes of Dry Eye and How to Treat It tooltip text Go to Source ³

Dry Eyes makes it difficult to read and write or see well while driving. Trusted Source Dry eyes Mayo Clinic Go to Source ⁴ Besides being an annoyance, chronic dry eyes could cause infections and damage the surface of your eyes. Trusted Source Dry Eyes: Symptoms, Treatment, Causes, and More Healthline Go to Source ⁵ You may have tried everything — opting for glasses instead of contacts and trying over-the-counter remedies. But if your dry eye has gone on for a long time such that your symptoms never go away completely, then it’s best to work with your doctor.

What are some signs that you need to see an eye doctor to take care of dry eyes? Trusted Source Signs You Need Prescription Treatment for Chronic Dry Eye. & Dry eyes Healthline & Mayo Clinic Go to Source ^6,7

• • You have severe eye pain or burning sensation:

Some people might find relief to dry eyes with eye drops. But chronic dry eyes may not respond to simple remedies such as a lubricating eye drop. And if not, you may experience a stinging or burning sensation or sharp pain in your eyes. Left untreated, it could result in infection and corneal ulcers.

• You are light sensitive: With dry eyes, you may experience extreme light sensitivity or photophobia. In photophobia, fluorescent lights, watching TV, sunlight, playing games on a device, or working on a computer can trigger redness, eye pain, and headaches.
• You struggle to remove your contact lenses: If you have dry eyes and wear contacts, you may feel uncomfortable while wearing them, and it may get difficult to remove from your eyes. If you struggle to remove your lenses, there is also a risk that your nails could accidentally scratch the surface of your eyes.
• You have blurry vision: It’s obvious when you can’t bend your finger that ‘maybe something is broken,’ but it’s not an apparent association with blurry vision and dry eye disease. Trusted Source How Screen Time May Be Contributing to Dry Eye... Healthline Go to Source ⁸ But when eyes become too dry, they tend to blur up and feel wacky. Sometimes blinking a few times or applying eye drops could help. Yet if your blurry vision isn’t improving with an OTC product, then consult an eye doctor. They can prescribe eye drops or recommend other treatments.
• You’re hooked on using eye drops: If you get to the point of using eye drops frequently during the day to find relief, you need to contact an eye doctor. Your doctor can prescribe one based on your underlying cause of dryness.

Don’t just ignore your dry eyes. Talk to your eye doctor about your symptoms so that they can suggest the treatment that is right for you.

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