Dry eye affects more than an estimated 20 million Americans, yet it is often under-recognized and under-diagnosed. To raise awareness about the condition during Dry Eye Awareness Month in July, the National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC) has released the Dry Eye Hot Jobs, the first-ever listing of the nation’s top job categories most likely to contribute to dry eye.

The Dry Eye Hot Jobs listing is based on a number of factors known to contribute to dry eye, including prolonged computer use and exposure to dust and allergens. These factors were coupled with data from a nationwide survey of people who suffer from dry eye symptoms, which can include eye dryness, itching, irritation, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, feeling like something is in your eye, and excessive tearing.

Artificial tears are often used to manage dry eye symptoms. However, anyone using eye drops on a regular basis to relieve dry eye symptoms should see an eye care professional who may recommend adding a prescription therapy to treat an underlying cause of dry eye.

Organizations involved in helping raise public awareness for dry eye include The Cornea Society, Lupus Foundation of America, Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research, Rosacea Research & Development Institute, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation, and American College of Rheumatology.

To access the complete Dry Eye Hot Jobs listing, please visit www.healthywomen.org. On this site there is a Dry Eye Quiz that people can take to their doctor to help determine whether they have chronic dry eye. Additionally, the site contains educational information about symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment options and long-term effects of dry eye.

Web site sponsored in part by an unrestricted educational grant from