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Dry eyes may cause important discomfort, and the signs develop into extra frequent as we age. Nevertheless, till now, it was unclear what quantity of the inhabitants suffered from the situation, with estimates starting from 5–50%.
In reality, analysis introduced on the forty third Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) has discovered that greater than half of the overall inhabitants within the U.S. and Europe has skilled dry eyes, but solely 20% of European sufferers and 17% of US sufferers have been identified, and so they could wait years for skilled assist.
Dr. Piotr Wozniak, refractive surgeon and dry eye specialist at Optegra Eye Clinics in Warsaw, Poland, and a lecturer and scientific teacher at Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński College in Warsaw, informed the Congress, “Outcomes from our research reveal a considerable group of sufferers struggling with out assist. The European questionnaire explored why individuals do not search remedy.
“Many see dry eye as a normal part of aging and something to endure. As a medical doctor, I find this particularly concerning because a simple eye drop could offer significant relief—but many people aren’t even asking for help.”
Dr. Wozniak introduced findings from a survey of two,003 adults within the US performed in April 2024, and from an ongoing, worldwide arm of the research performed by Bausch and Lomb with over 5,000 adults within the UK, France, Germany, Poland, and Saudi Arabia: the “Wants Unmet in Dry Eye: Signs, Remedy and Severity’ (NESTS) research. In June 2025, the NESTS worldwide arm surveyed 2,580 adults within the basic inhabitants and a pair of,572 dry eye victims.
“In the NESTS study, we found that 58% of the general population reported experiencing dry eye symptoms, yet only one in five has received a formal diagnosis from a health care provider,” he mentioned. “The big measurement of this research makes these outcomes sturdy.
“The study explored the patient journey in detail. What stood out was that up to one-third of patients had experienced symptoms for more than five years before seeking professional help. NESTS also found that around half of sufferers experience symptoms every single day. The delay in seeking treatment is concerning, especially since dry eye is a progressive disease and early intervention can prevent a vicious cycle of inflammation.”
Different outcomes from NESTS confirmed that 60% of dry eye victims waited a minimum of 4 months earlier than searching for assist and 20% waited greater than a yr earlier than speaking to a well being care supplier about their signs. Many victims stopped driving at night time (17%), now not wore make-up (14.8%), or lowered their use of warmth or air-con (15.2%) resulting from their uncontrolled dry eye signs. One in three victims (34%) reported that their signs had worsened previously yr and solely 9% mentioned there had been an enchancment.
Lubricating eye drops have been the primary and most typical remedy, chosen both by the affected person or by an eye fixed or well being care supplier. But solely 25% believed their present remedy was particularly tailor-made to their wants.
Dr. Wozniak mentioned, “NESTS also examined patient–provider interactions, revealing national differences. For example, in France, fewer than half of dry eye sufferers had planned follow-up visits, while in Saudi Arabia, the majority, 84%, were proactively followed up by their providers.”
Within the US research, eye dryness ceaselessly affected 50% of survey respondents, and 80% skilled signs corresponding to fatigue, itchy or watery eyes, however solely 17% had a analysis from an eye fixed care supplier.
Between 35 and 75% of individuals have been very or extraordinarily bothered by dry eyes, with studying, utilizing digital units or driving being the commonest actions to be disrupted; 70% lacked data of remedy choices; 40% have been unaware that untreated dry eyes may cause different eye issues and imaginative and prescient loss; solely about 25% visited an eye fixed care supplier each two years or extra ceaselessly; 67% of individuals with dry eyes waited six months or extra to see an eye fixed care supplier, and 31% waited two or extra years.
Dr. Wozniak mentioned, “These findings spotlight the widespread affect of dry eye illness on high quality of life, exhibiting numerous individuals struggling silently.
“We need to educate patients and the public on the causes, consequences and treatment options for dry eyes, as well as the importance of regular eye checks. In addition, we must support health care professionals in distinguishing between different types of dry eye and matching treatments appropriately. One person’s ‘dry eye’ can be very different from another’s.”
Analysis of dry eye typically entails a mixture of patient-reported signs, medical historical past and scientific checks. Nevertheless, some sufferers are identified solely on the idea of signs and an ordinary eye examination, as an example with a microscope. Particular diagnostic instruments embody wanting on the time it takes for a dry spot to look on the cornea after a blink, utilizing dye to stain the floor of the attention, measuring the concentrations of salts and different particles in tears, or an evaluation of the Meibomian gland, which is answerable for producing the oily a part of tears.
Left untreated, dry eyes might be very uncomfortable, may cause irritation and a situation referred to as blepharitis when eyelids develop into sore and infected. Signs embody a sandy or gritty feeling, soreness, uncomfortable and painful eyes, itching or burning sensation, short-term blurred imaginative and prescient, and watery eyes.
Dry eyes are extra frequent in individuals over the age of fifty as a result of the glands that make tears, significantly the oily element, develop into much less efficient, inflicting the tears to dry up too shortly and the entrance of the attention to develop into dry and irritated. The situation might also have an effect on the result of practically each ophthalmological surgical procedure, together with cataract and refractive procedures, making its analysis and administration vital, even earlier than surgical procedure takes place.
Dry, dusty, windy and chilly situations also can make eyes really feel dry, as can air-conditioning, central heating, smoking and sure medical situations corresponding to autoimmune ailments and hormonal situations.
ESCRS President, Dr. Filomena Ribeiro, who’s Head of the Ophthalmology Division at Hospital da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal, was not concerned within the analysis. She commented, “These findings reveal the true extent of dry eye illness within the basic inhabitants. It’s regarding that such a small proportion of victims search assist for the situation, particularly as it might make an actual distinction to the outcomes of ophthalmological surgical procedure and in addition to their high quality of life.
“Eye and health care professionals need to discuss this with patients when they see them and encourage people to have regular eye care checks.”
Extra data:
Dry eye signs, severity, remedy and unmet wants: an evaluation of the US of America and a multinational snapshot (2025)
Supplied by
European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons
Quotation:
Dry eyes have an effect on over half the overall inhabitants, but solely a fifth obtain analysis and remedy (2025, September 14)
retrieved 15 September 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-09-dry-eyes-affect-general-population.html
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