Dry eye attacks can be uncomfortable. If they happen frequently, dry eye can lead to major disruption of your daily routine, making simple, daily tasks more difficult and frustrating. Thankfully the team at Broberg Eye Care provides the people of Austin, TX plenty of treatments for dry eye.

So, how do you know if you’re suffering from a dry eye attack? Let’s go over some of the most common signs, symptoms, and risk factors so you know what the condition involves. If you notice these symptoms, our team can help you find relief.

Burning or Dry Sensation

One of the most common first signs of dry eye is a burning sensation in the eye. Simply feeling that your eyes are dry as you blink or go about your day is also common telltale sign of a dry eye attack.

Sore or Itchy Eyes

Itchiness of the eyes or soreness is another common sensation associated with dry eye syndrome. You may find yourself rubbing your eyes a lot simply to address the irritation you feel in or around your eyes.

Red Eyes

As your eyes are irritated and dry, you may notice excessive redness. This redness may be temporary, but it could last for some time depending on how long your dry eye attack lasts.

A Gritty Sensation in the Eye

When suffering from dry eye, people may have a gritty feeling in the eyes, especially when blinking or when moving their eyes. It may feel like there’s a small foreign object caught in your eye.

Problems with Light Sensitivity

When suffering from dry eye, people tend to have issues with light sensitivity. Sunlight or bright lights may seem especially harsh during a dry attack. On a related note, dry eye can also impact night vision, resulting in issues with contrast sensitivity.

Mucus Around the Eyes

Mucus around the eyes is another common sign of dry eye. This mucus tends to be stringy, and may indicate poor tear composition or other kinds of issues related to a lack of moisture in the eyes and decreased tear production.

Blurry Vision

When your eyes are dry, there’s a heightened risk of blurry vision or poor vision. This is is due to the irritation in your eyes. As with other issues, this blurry vision can last as long as your bout of dry eye, impacting your ability to accomplish simple tasks during the day.

Eye Fatigue and Heavy Eyes

Dry eyes can feel tired or heavy given the strain caused by irritation. This eye fatigue often contributes or is related to the other symptoms of dry eye we’ve noted above.

Difficulty Wearing Contact Lenses

When your eyes are dry and irritated, it can be difficult to wear contact lenses. In fact, contact lenses can exacerbate a current dry eye attack or make dry eye more likely. People who wear contacts may notice more issues with redness, irritation, and vision issues.

Risk Factors for Dry Eye

With these symptoms in mind, we should note the following risk factors associated with dry eye attacks:

  • Advanced age (50 or older)
  • Gender (more likely in women)
  • Poor diet love in vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids