January 7, 2019 – Dry Eye and Reading

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Anchor lead: Dry eye is more than a nuisance for some, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Do you have trouble reading for more than 30 minutes or doing computer work for much of the day because your vision is blurry? You may have dry eye, a new study by Esen Akpek, an ophthalmologist at Johns Hopkins, and colleagues has found. Akpek describes the syndrome.

Akpek: Dry eye is not only eye discomfort. If an individual is experiencing blurring of vision, intermittently, especially toward the end of a prolonged visual activity, or towards the end of the day, they might have dry eye. It’s best if they don’t self treat with over the counter medications. I think that they should go to an eye doctor, have their eyes checked specifically for dry eye. Unfortunately detailed dry eye examinations are not part of routine eye exam.  :32

Dry eye occurs because tears aren’t lubricating the eye properly, and it can slow reading speeds by as much as 10 percent, Akpek says. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.