According to results from the inaugural State of Dry Eye survey, approximately 70% of survey respondents are unsure how to prevent or treat dry eye. The online survey was conducted from April 15 to April 23, 2024, and collected responses from US adults aged 18 years or older.1
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Dry eye can be influenced by factors such as lifestyle, medications, hormonal changes, age, and environment, among others, and can be a result of the eyes making poor quality tears that evaporate quickly or not making enough. Most cases of dry eye disease also have underlying inflammation; however, there are a range of options to help manage dry symptoms, such as OTC eye drops, nutritional supplements, and prescription medications. The condition ranges from occasional symptoms to a chronic condition called dry eye disease. Even though dry eye is growing more common—with approximately 150 million Americans experiencing symptoms—the majority of patients are unaware that their symptoms are associated with dry eye, which can result in a delay in care.1,2
A total of 2003 respondents completed the survey, of which 461 were considered sufferers of dry eye—defined as those who often or always experience eye dryness and/or have been diagnosed with dry eye disease by a health care professional—and the remaining 1542 were considered non-sufferers. According to the experts, data were weighted where necessary by age, gender, race or ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size and income, employment, and political party affiliation to align them with proportions within the population.1
The survey polled respondents in areas including everyday life and quality of life. The data indicate that approximately 75% of dry eye sufferers find dry eye to be extremely or very bothersome, with 31% reporting that their symptoms worsened over time. Additionally, respondents noted feeling constantly aware of their eyes and how they feel (81%) and can even “practically hear themselves blink” (46%). Other symptoms reported by survey takers included tired eyes (38%), sensitivity to light (27%), and redness (19%), with fewer reporting regularly experiencing eye dryness (15%). Despite these significant numbers, the majority of dry eye sufferers are unsure how to treat or prevent their dry eye (70%).1,2
“The prevalence of dry eye is growing, particularly among a younger demographic in large part due to modern lifestyles and heavy digital device use,” said Yehia Hashad, MD, executive vice president, Research & Development and chief medical officer, Bausch and Lomb, in a news release. “The survey results underscore the importance of raising awareness of dry eye, so sufferers are empowered to speak with an eye care professional and seek relief. That’s why we developed [our website] to help facilitate these conversations.”1
Most dry eye sufferers (67%) noted that they had to either give up or cut back on something—such as screen time (32%), spending time outdoors (25%), and wearing makeup (24%)—in order to feel relief from their symptoms, with sufferers reporting that their symptoms primarily affect reading (45%), device use (35%), and driving (31%).1
Although there is no cure for dry eye, there is a wide variety of options that include OTC eye drops or supplements and prescription medications to help alleviate symptoms. Even though it is the primary way to get evaluated, approximately 43% of respondents reported not seeing an eye doctor once per year, and experts urge that those with symptoms can find an effective treatment method by visiting a provider or professional. Additionally, there are other sources, such as knowyourdryeye.com that can help patients better understand their dry eye symptoms.1,2
“Most people think of dry eye as a minor nuisance, but the truth is it can drastically affect one’s daily life,” said Rebecca Petris, co-founder and president, Dry Eye Foundation, in the news release. “Early symptoms are often misunderstood, downplayed, ignored or self-treated. People need to know their symptoms warrant a visit to the eye doctor, so they can get an accurate diagnosis and treatment. For people with dry eye, the good news is treatment and symptom management options are available. People are finding relief.”1
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