A survey of 1,000 US adults found three in four battle dry eye symptoms weekly.

The majority of respondents (76%) said they experience symptoms daily or multiple times per week, with an average discomfort rating of 6.1 out of 10. Nearly half rated their discomfort at 5 or higher, and 1 in 10 reported severe levels of 8 or more. Only 8% said they had noted improvement during the last year, while 34% felt their symptoms had worsened over the past year.

Common triggers of dry eye symptoms were screen time (70%), followed by weather shifts (50%), allergies (45%) and lack of sleep (30%). Respondents reported quality-of-life impacts including reduced focus, red eyes and eye strain.

The survey also revealed a knowledge gap regarding the causes of dry eye and the treatment options available to patients. About two-thirds of respondents said they didn’t know dry eye stems from a salt imbalance in the tear film, creating an opportunity for education on science-driven relief, the report noted. Survey respondents were also unaware of what was in their eye drops, with almost half of the over-the-counter (OTC) drop users (48%) saying they had never checked the ingredients.

There’s a strong consumer demand for innovative solutions, with 80% of respondents with dry eye symptoms indicating they would try a science-backed eye drop that mimics natural tears and restores tear-film balance, the survey concluded.

The survey was commissioned by TheraTears, a provider of OTC eye drops, and conducted by OnePoll in October 2025.