Dry Eye Isn’t Just Annoying—It Can Wreck Your Life

It Started with Ready Readers… And Then Everything Fell Apart

They call it dry eye, like it’s some minor inconvenience, like maybe you just blink a little less and feel a bit dusty. Nope.

My dry eye battle kicked off about 2.5 years ago, right around the time my eyesight started betraying me at warp speed. First, readers at 47. Then, by 52, prescription glasses, and along with that, the dreaded phrase: “You have dry eye.”

Sounds small, right? Well, spoiler: it wasn’t.

The Symptoms No One Warns You About

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Blepharitis: The Reason Your Eye Care Routine Matters

If you’ve never heard of blepharitis, let me paint you a picture:
Imagine your eyelids constantly inflamed, feeling raw and crusty, and giving you persistent irritation that just won’t quit.
It’s caused by bacteria, blocked oil glands, or inflammation, and if ignored, it can lead to chronic issues, styes, and even vision problems.

The worst part?
Blepharitis doesn’t just go away. If you don’t actively manage it, it can make dry eye even worse and turn into a long-term nightmare.

That’s why an eye care routine isn’t optional—it’s survival.

The NHS Struggle & Desperation Treatments

Doctors shrugged it off like it was nothing, handing me prescription eye drops, which were welcome as decent eye drops are £20 a bottle.
And GPs? Didn’t even look at me. It took a year to get to see an ophthalmologist in the NHS.

So, in total desperation, I went for IPL treatment, a pricey attempt to clear up my clogged meibomian glands. Did it work? Honestly, I don’t know. Maybe a little. Perhaps it was just one piece of a bigger puzzle.
But what did help? Finally seeing an ophthalmologist, after a year of fighting to be taken seriously.

Dry Eye & Mental Chaos

Here’s the thing no one tells you:
Living with chronic dry eye can mess with your focus, mood, and even your mental state.

For six months, I was so dysregulated that I started questioning everything. It even led to an ADHD assessment, because I was so distracted and disoriented that I barely felt like myself anymore.
And I never take sick leave, but dry eye had me off work for five days straight, something that hadn’t happened in years.

And all of this? Happening while I was still working nine hours a day on a computer. Absolute madness.

Prescription Chaos: When Your Glasses Turn Against You

Just when I thought things might settle, I realised my prescription felt wrong.
Turns out, my vision had changed drastically, so new glasses were ordered.

But then?
After three weeks of struggling, I returned and had another eye test. Guess what?
My eyesight had almost reverted back, meaning I’d just wasted money on glasses I couldn’t even wear. Thankfully, I have an incredible optician, who is absorbing the cost of the wrong lens and ordering new lenses. However, that still means we are both out of pocket on glasses that were just not needed.

The Dry Eye & Blepharitis Survival Routine

Doctors will tell you there’s no cure—and they’re right.
But there is management, and here’s what finally made a difference:

1. Wash your eyes every morning – Baby shampoo works best.
2. Take makeup removal seriously – No shortcuts, no residue.
3. Use a heat pack at night – Keeps those glands flowing and reduces blepharitis buildup.
4. Do gentle eye massages after heat – Helps distribute oil properly and prevents blockages.
5. Don’t rely just on eye drops – Get checked regularly, especially if you keep getting styes or crusty lids.

Blepharitis is one of the biggest drivers of dry eye issues. Neglect it, and it WILL come back stronger.
So if you get diagnosed with dry eye or just want to avoid the nightmare altogether, start taking care of your eyes now. Future-you will thank you.

Dry eye can feel lonely, but you’re not alone.

It affects 1 in 4 people in the UK, yet so many of us struggle in silence, coping with gritty, sore, streaming eyes while the world assumes it’s just a minor irritation. But if you’ve lived it, you know how much it impacts daily life, focus, and even mental well-being.

Let’s create a space where we can share what works, what doesn’t, and support each other. Whether you’ve found a routine that helps or need to vent, your experience matters, and it could make a difference for someone else.

Drop your thoughts below, let’s build a community that understands. 💙