Patients sometimes tell me their eyes feel drier during stressful weeks: exams, deadlines, or family pressures. Earlier research has linked dry eye symptoms with psychological distress, but most of those studies captured a single moment in time, so they could not show which came first. A study published in Optometry and Vision Science tried to sort out the timing.
How the study worked
Reut Ifrah, PhD, and colleagues at the Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College followed 71 young adults (60 women, average age 22). Participants completed a 14-item Perceived Stress Scale and the Ocular Surface Disease Index symptom questionnaire twice, about 7.5 months apart. The second round happened during a period of heightened regional threat.
What they found
- Average stress scores rose by 4.2 points and dry eye symptom scores rose by 7.5 points between the two visits.
- Stress and symptoms were linked at both time points.
- Earlier stress showed a small association with later symptoms. It was statistically significant only with a prespecified one-tailed test, not with the conventional two-tailed test.
- Earlier dry eye symptoms did not significantly predict later stress.
The authors called the evidence suggestive but not confirmatory. The study had no objective eye-surface measurements, a small and mostly female sample, and only two time points.
What this means for you
This study does not show that dry eye is “all in your head,” and it does not prove that stress management treats dry eye. What it supports is something I see in clinic: symptoms can reflect both the eye surface and the wider context of a person’s life.
- If your eyes burn or feel gritty, have the surface examined; oil-gland problems, inflammation, and eyelid issues are common and treatable.
- Notice patterns. Long screen sessions, poor sleep, and dry indoor air often travel with stressful periods.
- Contact lens wearers should mention dryness early, since lens type and wearing time can be adjusted.
For more plain-language reading on eye health, see los-angeles-lasik.com.
Source: Perceived stress may precede worsening dry eye symptoms in young adults, study finds (Optometry Times, 08/21/2026). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.