Millions of Americans Experience Dry Eye Symptoms, Yet New National Survey Shows Sufferers Struggle to Find Relief

New Online Resource, KnowYourDryEye.com, Aims to Increase Awareness and Education

Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO), a leading global eye health company dedicated to helping people see better to live better, today shared results from the company’s inaugural State of Dry Eye survey, which explores dry eye understanding and experiences among American adults. Dry eye is increasingly common and can range from occasional symptoms of dryness to a chronic condition called dry eye disease. Although there is no cure for dry eye, there are various options that can help people find relief.

The survey revealed the majority of respondents may not know that their symptoms – which can include redness, fluctuating vision, a scratchy, gritty, tired or heavy feeling, or overall eye irritation – may be associated with eye dryness. Additionally, most respondents don’t realize that symptoms of dry eye are increasingly present in younger people, and two in five are unaware that untreated dry eye can lead to other eye problems, such as fluctuating vision.

“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 + Lomb. “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 KnowYourDryEye.com to help facilitate these conversations.”

Key Findings from the 2024 State of Dry Eye Survey:

• Dry eye impacts quality of life.
  • Three in four dry eye sufferers (75%) find it extremely or very bothersome, with three in 10 saying that their symptoms have worsened over time (31%).
  • Eight in 10 dry eye sufferers (81%) are constantly aware of how their eyes feel.
  • Close to half of sufferers (46%) report that sometimes their symptoms are so bad they can practically “hear themselves blink”.
    
    

• And make it difficult to enjoy day-to-day activities.
  • Most dry eye sufferers (67%) had to give up or cut back on something to relieve symptoms, including screen time (32%), spending time outdoors (25%) and wearing makeup (24%).
  • Dry eye sufferers report their symptoms have the biggest impact on reading (45%), device use (35%) and driving (31%).
    
    

• Despite this, most Americans don’t know much about dry eye, what to do about it or that their symptoms may be associated with dry eye.
  • Most (70%) don’t know much about preventing or treating dry eye.
  • While respondents reported regularly experiencing symptoms that may be related to dry eye, such as tired eyes [38%], sensitivity to light [27%], and redness [19%]), fewer (15%) reported regularly experiencing eye dryness, suggesting people may not recognize their symptoms could be associated with dry eye.
  • Around two in five Americans (43%) don’t routinely (i.e., at least once a year) see an eye doctor, even though it’s the primary way to get evaluated.
  • Most respondents (66%) don’t know that symptoms of dry eyes are increasingly present in younger people, which is likely the result of today's modern lifestyles, including increased screen time.
  • Over half of sufferers (52%) think dry eyes are difficult to address and something people must learn to live with.
    
    

• If left untreated, dry eye may get worse and progress to dry eye disease, potentially impacting eye health and vision.
  • More than two in five (44%) of respondents don’t know that untreated dry eye can lead to other eye problems and even vision loss.

“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. "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."

There are a broad range of options for those with dry eye, from over-the-counter eye drops and nutritional supplements to prescription medications. Those experiencing symptoms should see an eye doctor to discuss what may be best for them. Learn more at KnowYourDryEye.com.

About Dry Eye

Dry eye can be influenced by several factors, including lifestyle, medications, hormonal changes, age, environment and co-morbidities. It may be the result of the eyes not making enough tears or making poor quality tears that evaporate too quickly. The majority of those who progress to dry eye disease also have underlying inflammation. There are a range of options for managing dry eye symptoms, including over-the-counter eye drops, prescription medications and nutritional supplements.

About the Survey

The research was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Bausch + Lomb among 2,003 U.S. adults 18 years or older including 461 “sufferers” (defined as those who often/always experience eye dryness and/or have been diagnosed by a healthcare professional with dry eye disease) and 1,542 non-sufferers. “Respondents” or “Americans” refers to all 2,003 survey participants. The survey was conducted April 15-23, 2024.

Data are weighted where necessary by age by gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, employment, household income, and political party affiliation to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within ± 3.0 using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.

About Bausch + Lomb

Bausch + Lomb is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the gift of sight for millions of people around the world – from birth through every phase of life. Its comprehensive portfolio of approximately 400 products includes contact lenses, lens care products, eye care products, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products and ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments. Founded in 1853, Bausch + Lomb has a significant global research and development, manufacturing and commercial footprint with approximately 13,000 employees and a presence in nearly 100 countries. Bausch + Lomb is headquartered in Vaughan, Ontario, with corporate offices in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.bausch.com and connect with us on X, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

© 2024 Bausch + Lomb.

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