Can Dry Eyes Cause Blurry Vision?

Dry eye syndrome — or dry eye — is one of the most common eye conditions across the world. Dry eye develops when there’s a breakdown in the tear film covering the cornea (the clear front part of the eye). The tear film creates a protective barrier for the eye. When the tear layer becomes unstable, it not only causes eye irritation, but it can also lead to vision changes like blurry vision.

How can dry eyes affect your vision?

Dry eyes cause vision changes like blurry vision.

As light enters the eye, it passes through the cornea. The cornea bends the light and focuses it onto the retina. The retina passes light signals to the brain so that you can interpret light signals as images. 

The cornea isn’t the only part of the eye responsible for focusing light. But it’s a major player. Normally, the cornea is covered by a film of tears that protects the cornea so it can do its job. When there’s a breakdown in the tear film, the cornea can’t focus light properly. This means people develop inconsistent eyesight so that sometimes their vision looks more blurry. 

If you find that your vision changes whenever you blink, it may be a sign that dry eyes are causing your vision changes. You might notice that your vision becomes more or less blurry as you blink throughout the day. 

What are symptoms of dry eyes?

Symptoms of dry eye vary from person to person but include:

• Eye irritation

• Feeling of something being “stuck” in the eye

• Blurry vision

• Eye redness

• Increased tearing

“Many people with dry eye syndrome have no idea they have it or are surprised to hear that their ‘wet’ eyes are actually dry due to tearing excessively as a response to dryness,” says Dr. Erin Greenberg, a board-certified ophthalmologist who specializes in corneal disease. 

When the tear film is disrupted, the tear gland gets stimulated to produce more tears as a reflex. These tears can’t repair the damaged tear film. So people end up with the added symptom of excessive tearing even though they have dry eyes. 

How do you treat blurry vision caused by dry eyes?

There are several options available to treat dry eye, including:

Artificial tears

Artificial tears are eye drops that help recreate the eye’s natural tear film. They’re available over the counter. When purchasing artificial tear eye drops, make sure to avoid anything that says “get the red out” as these drops contain ingredients that can cause harm to your eyes in the long run. You can also use lubricating artificial tear ointment at bedtime. 

Prescription medications 

There are prescription medications that can help with more severe cases of dry eye. These include cyclosporine (Restasis) and lifitegrast (Xiidra). There’s a new nasal spray varenicline (Tyrvyra) that can also stimulate natural tear production. 

Tear plugs

If your tears are draining too quickly, your eye doctor can place punctal plugs in your tear ducts. This lets natural tears sit on the cornea for longer periods of time.

What at-home remedies help prevent dry eyes?

There’s several things you can try at home to help with dry eyes. These natural remedies can help boost the actions of artificial tears and prescription medications. 

Warm compress

A warm compress can help soothe dry eye symptoms. You can place a warm compress over your closed eyes for 5 minutes one or two times a day. You can buy a reusable warm pack to place over the eyes like Bruder mask, MediViz Eye Mask, or Medcosa Heat Eye Bag. You can also make your own warm pack with a sock and dry white rice. 

Eyelid scrubs

Once daily eyelid scrubs can open up your eyelid glands so they work better. These eyelid glands add a layer of oil to your tears. This oil helps keep your tear film healthy. Eyelid scrubs are available over the counter from product lines like OcuSoft or TheraTears. But you can also use a dye, fragrance- and tear-free shampoo or face wash. 

Avoid eye strain

Eye strain develops when you don’t give your eyes enough of a break. Eye strain is often linked to less frequent blinking and lower tear production. Limiting your screen time can lower your risk for eye strain. So can eye exercises like the 20-20-20 rule. When looking at screens, take a 20-second break every 20 minutes and focus on an object 20 feet away.

Stay away from eye irritants

Certain things in the environment can irritate your eyes and damage your tear film. Stay away from smoke — including woodsmoke and cigarette smoke whenever possible. It’s also a good idea to stay away from fans that can disrupt or evaporate your tear film. Turning on a humidifier, especially in drier months, can help protect and soothe your eyes. If you wear contact lenses, don’t sleep in them or wear them for too long. This can damage your corneas. 

When should you seek care for dry eyes?

If you’re having blurry vision or other symptoms of dry eye, you should see an eye doctor.

It’s important to make sure your blurry vision really is from dry eyes and not another eye condition that also causes blurry vision like:

• Glaucoma

• Cataracts

• Refractive errors 

• Eye infections

• Diabetic macular edema

• Eye inflammation

If you have an autoimmune condition that affects your vision, like rheumatoid arthritis or Sjogren’s syndrome, don’t wait to see an eye doctor. You may be at risk for more severe dry eye symptoms that can interfere with your day-to-day activities. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Nishika Reddy, MD

Nishika Reddy, MD, is an attending physician at the University of Utah. She provides comprehensive and cornea medical care at the Moran Eye Center and serves as clinical assistant professor.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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