If you're one of the approximately five million Americans who suffers with dry eye syndrome, you know if can affect everything you do – even driving. Now a report in the American Journal of Ophthalmology takes a closer look at this troublesome, but often overlooked condition.

Dry eye affects quality of life. That's no surprise to people who have dry eye syndrome, a condition that affects the amount of tears produced as well as the quality of the tear film that covers the front part of the eye.

In a study reported in the American Journal of Ophthalmology (Volume 143, page 409), researchers reviewed questionnaire responses from 690 participants, age 49 or older, in the Women's Health Study and the Physicians' Health Study, a third of whom were identified clinically as having dry eye or severe symptoms of dry eye.

They found that people with dry eye syndrome who were not using artificial tears had five times as many difficulties with everyday tasks as those without dry eye syndrome. Although individuals with dry eye syndrome who were using artificial tears had some improvement, these individuals still reported three times as many difficulties with everyday tasks as those without dry eye syndrome. Also of concern are the possible effects of dry eye syndrome on vision while driving: a reduced ability to see contrasts, an increased sensitivity to glare, a fluctuating clarity of vision.

Currently, dry eye syndrome affects almost five million people age 50 or over in the United States. And yet, according to this study, because dry eye doesn't lead to blindness, doctors may overlook its potentially serious effect on day-to-day life. If your eyes feel dry, tired, and irritated or if your vision seems unstable, see your eye doctor so he or she can determine if you have dry eye syndrome and help minimize its effect on your daily life.