Can Dry Eye Cause Nighttime Glare?
SEP 12, 2014
Question:
Can dry eyes cause glare while driving at night?
Answer:
Yes. In fact, this is not uncommon. Normal tears only have two places to go if the anatomy is functioning: down the tear ducts into the nose or evaporate into the air. Typically, when the eyelids are properly closed during sleep, some tears build up, but are long gone by evening. The glare may come from the dry irregular surface of the cornea or from the excess mucus produced by the tear glands to keep the eyes comfortable. Cataracts and other eye problems can also cause glare, so a thorough evaluation from an ophthalmologist should be done before jumping to any conclusions.