Move over, drunk driving—there could be a new car crash culprit: Dry eyes slow down your reaction time behind the wheel, finds a new French study.
In a driving simulator, participants pressed a remote on their steering wheels every time they saw a target appear on the road. Compared to people with healthy peepers, drivers with dry eyes missed twice as many marks and had significantly delayed response times.
Up to 30 percent of Americans suffer from dry eyes, with symptoms such as stinging or burning, irritation, and excess tearing—especially when driving, reading, or watching TV. In healthy eyes, blinking stimulates tear secretion and creates a new layer of tear film that moistens your eyes. However, dry eyes are due to a problem with that tear film, which may impact your vision even after you blink, explains study author Alexandre Denoyer, M.D., Ph.D., of the French National Ophthalmology Hospital.
Feeling dry? Tell your doc. “[Dry eyes] cause visual disturbance that’s a real handicap today,” Denoyer says. “However, unless you discuss your symptoms, [the condition] is likely to be overlooked because it doesn’t cause severe visual loss based on standard measures.”
For relief, be weary of over-the-counter allergy drops such as Clear Eyes and Visine, which contain active ingredients that may ultimately make your symptoms worse. Instead, look for OTC artificial tears. They’ll lubricate your eyes without dousing them in extra unnecessary medicines. Visine Pure Tears Portables is a good choice for moisture minus side effects.
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