Can Dry Eyes Cause Blurry Vision?

Dry eye disease — 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. An unstable tear layer can be uncomfortable and affect your vision. 

Here’s what to know about dry eyes and eye health. 

Why do dry eyes affect your vision?

Dry eye syndrome can affect your vision because it disrupts your tear film. You need a healthy tear film to protect your eyes and your vision. We explain why below.

As light enters the eye, it passes through the cornea. The cornea bends and focuses light, which allows your brain to interpret light 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 can cause intermittent blurry vision that gets clearer when people blink. Blinking helps redistribute the tear film across the cornea which can temporarily ease blurry vision from dry eye.

What are symptoms of dry eyes?

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

• Eye irritation

• Feeling of something being “stuck” in the eye

• Blurry vision that often gets better with blinking

• Eye redness

These symptoms develop because the tear film isn’t able to protect the cornea. This leads to irritation and inflammation in the cornea.

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Another common symptom of dry eye is increased tear production. That may sound like the opposite of what you’d expect. But there’s a good reason for it. When the tear film is disrupted, the tear glands produce more tears as a reflex. This leads to excessive 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,” said Dr. Erin Greenberg, a board-certified ophthalmologist who specializes in corneal disease. 

What causes dry eyes?

Dry eye disease is caused by changes in the tear film. Some people with dry eye make less tears. Other people make enough tears, but those tears evaporate too quickly. In most cases, people have a combination of both these problems. 

It’s not clear why some people develop dry eye disease. But some people are more likely to develop dry eye than others. You’re more likely to develop dry eye disease as you get older or go through menopause. 

You’re also at higher risk for developing dry eye if you:

• Have certain medical conditions like Sjögren’s syndrome, diabetes, or Parkinson’s disease

• Take medications like diuretics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), or antihistamines

• Wear contact lenses

• Had eye surgery in the past, including LASIK

• Are exposed to smoke or low humidity

Some people experience dry eye symptoms all the time. This is called chronic dry eye. 

Others only have symptoms sometimes. People with seasonal eye allergies (ocular allergies) may develop dry eye symptoms only during their allergy season. And people may only experience symptoms when they’re in hot or dry climates. 

What are the long-term risks of untreated dry eyes?

Without treatment, dry eye disease can increase your risk of cornea damage and eye infections. These conditions can permanently affect your vision. Vision changes may be mild or severe. And they can’t always be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. 

Even mild vision changes can make it harder to drive, work, and complete everyday activities.

How do you treat blurry vision caused by dry eyes?

There are several options available to treat dry eye. Treatment can relieve uncomfortable dry eye symptoms and keep your cornea healthy. Dry eye treatments are listed below.

Artificial tears (eye drops)

Artificial tears are eye drops that help recreate the eye’s natural tear film. They’re available over the counter (OTC). 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 nasal spray — varenicline (Tyrvaa) — that can also stimulate natural tear production. 

For dry eye that’s unresponsive to other medications, your eye doctor may recommend autologous serum tears. These are special drops made from your own blood that help heal dry eyes. 

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

• 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 OTC from product lines like OCuSoft or TheraTears. But you can also use a shampoo or face wash that has no dyes and fragrances and is gentle on your eyes (tear-free).

Dietary supplements

There’s evidence that omega-3 supplements can improve dry-eye symptoms. Omega-3 supplements are available OTC and are safe for most people. It’s not clear how much people need to take to get complete relief. Your eye doctor can help you determine the right dose for you. 

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. For example, it’s a good idea to stay away from smoke. That includes woodsmoke and cigarette smoke, whenever possible. 

Also, stay away from fans that can disrupt or evaporate your tear film. Avoid fans blowing directly in your eyes. And position car fans away from your face while driving. 

If you wear contact lenses, don’t sleep in them or wear them for too long. This can damage your corneas. 

Use humidifiers

Humidifiers add moisture to the air. Turning on a humidifier, especially in drier months, can help protect and soothe your eyes. 

When should you seek care for dry eyes?

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

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

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

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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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