Dry eye syndrome can cause several side effects. Some of these can affect your vision. It’s important to seek treatment before the condition becomes severe, at which point it can cause permanent damage.

Dry eye syndrome is when your eyes either don’t produce enough tears to support key bodily functions or when your tears evaporate too quickly.

Tears are important because they keep your eyes lubricated and help keep them protected from dust and other foreign substances. Such substances can cause an eye infection or damage to the surface of your eye.

Untreated dry eye syndrome puts you at risk of these side effects, which can lead to a decreased quality of life.

Temporary vision changes are also possible side effects. Although it’s rare, these can sometimes lead to vision deterioration.

Read on to learn how dry eye syndrome can affect your vision.

Dry eye syndrome can damage multiple aspects of your visual function, even if you have optimal eyesight.

The direct side effects are blurred vision and sensitivity to light.

Blurred vision

A common complaint with dry eye syndrome is blurry vision, which is often accompanied by a glare or halos around lights at night. Damage to the front part of your eye can also make your vision blurry.

An eye’s tear film is the outermost thin liquid layer of your eye. It covers the cornea — which is the transparent, dome-shaped front part of the eye — forming a barrier at the margins of your eyelid.

According to an older study from 2016, when this liquid layer is unstable — which occurs with dry eye syndrome — it can make your vision fluctuate when you blink, causing a glare.

You may feel like your eyes are tired when you struggle to see clearly due to these issues.

In one 2019 study, 58% of people with chronic dry eye reported moderate to very severe blurred vision, compared with 10.5% of people who didn’t have the condition.

Sensitivity to light

Insufficient lubrication of the cornea can make it more sensitive to light. This is called photophobia.

When the surface of your eye is irritated, exposure to light can exacerbate discomfort and sensitivity. Dry eye can also affect the nerves in your eye, making them more sensitive.

Additionally, the following symptoms and side effects of dry eye syndrome can affect your vision by causing pain and discomfort. This discomfort can also affect your quality of life until you receive treatment for the condition.

Other symptoms of dry eye include:

  • a burning or itching sensation around your eyes
  • eye redness
  • a sensation of having a sandy or gritty foreign object in your eye
  • difficulty with driving at night
  • watery eyes, or epiphora, which is due to pain that results in tears
  • a sensation of heavy eyelids or difficulty opening the eyes

Contact a doctor if you have any symptoms of dry eye syndrome, or if eye soreness and irritation are affecting your day-to-day life.

A doctor can check for dry eye syndrome by using a microscope and medicated eye drops to check the eye surface.

They may also perform an eye dilation exam to check your overall eye health. In this exam, they’ll give you eye drops to widen (dilate) your pupils and check for underlying causes of your discomfort or vision changes.

Treatment for dry eye syndrome typically involves:

  • using over-the-counter eye drops (artificial tears) or moisturizing gels or ointments
  • avoiding pollutants like smoke
  • drinking more water, about eight to 10 glasses per day
  • getting 7 or more hours of sleep at night
  • wearing wraparound glasses to protect your eyes from pollutants and foreign objects
  • using a humidifier in your home
  • reducing screen time
  • avoiding air blowing directly into your face for long periods of time
  • placing a warm compress on your closed eyelids, which may improve tear quality

If your dry eye is more serious, a doctor may recommend:

  • prescription eye drops of cyclosporine (Restasis) or lifitegrast (Xiidra) to help your eyes make more tears
  • tear duct plugs to keep the tears in your eyes
  • surgery, if your lower eyelids are too loose and allowing tears to escape too quickly
  • perfluorhexyloctane (Miebo), which are eye drops that help retain tears

Yes, dry eye syndrome often causes blurry vision. According to a 2019 study, 58% of people with chronic dry eye reported moderate to very severe blurred vision.

It’s common to experience “tired eyes” as well as blurry vision and difficulty focusing. At night, the blurry vision is often accompanied by a glare around lights.

Very rarely, dry eye can lead to partial vision loss. This happens, though rarely, in cases of severe dry eye syndrome in which the cornea is permanently damaged. This most often occurs in less developed countries.

If the damage to your eye leaves scars, the vision loss may be permanent. Less severe injuries that occur because of dry eye — such as some corneal scratches — can heal over time, and the effects on your vision may be reversible.

Dry eye syndrome can cause side effects that lead to discomfort and affect your vision. In most cases, these effects are temporary and will resolve when you receive treatment for the condition.

It’s best to contact a doctor if you’re having symptoms of dry eye syndrome.