The below study was published in 2011 so the cost is likely now above $4 billion and rising.
In 2008 it was about $3.84 Billion. This is likely an underestimation as often dry eye presents itself as allergy as well. Dry eye is now impacting peoples livelihood and impacting the US economy in other not so obvious ways in terms of productivity.

The economic cost of cancer is $80-85 Billion

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2011 Apr;30(4):379-87. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0b013e3181f7f363.

The economic burden of dry eye disease in the United States: a decision tree analysis.

Yu J1, Asche CV, Fairchild CJ.

Author information

Abstract

PURPOSE:

The aim of this study was to estimate both the direct and indirect annual cost of managing dry eye disease (DED) in the United States from a societal and a payer’s perspective.

METHODS:

A decision analytic model was developed to estimate the annual cost for managing a cohort of patients with dry eye with differing severity of symptoms and treatment. The direct costs included ocular lubricants, cyclosporine, punctal plugs, physician visits, and nutritional supplements. The indirect costs were measured as the productivity loss because of absenteeism and presenteeism. The model was populated with data that were obtained from surveys that were completed by dry eye sufferers who were recruited from online databases. Sensitivity analyses were employed to evaluate the impact of changes in parameters on the estimation of costs. All costs were converted to 2008 US dollars.

RESULTS:

Survey data were collected from 2171 respondents with DED. Our analysis indicated that the average annual cost of managing a patient with dry eye at $783 (variation, $757-$809) from the payers’ perspective. When adjusted to the prevalence of DED nationwide, the overall burden of DED for the US healthcare system would be $3.84 billion. From a societal perspective, the average cost of managing DED was estimated to be $11,302 per patient and $55.4 billion to the US society overall.

CONCLUSIONS:

DED poses a substantial economic burden on the payer and on the society. These findings may provide valuable information for health plans or employers regarding budget estimation.

The Economic Burden of Allergy
A few global facts and figures for two common allergic diseases: asthma and
rhinitis:
Country Year
costs
calculated
Population
(2010)
Disease Direct
costs*
Indirect
costs**
Total
costs
estimated
Australia 2007 23 million All
allergies
A$ 1.1
billion
A$ 8.3
billion
A$9.4
billion
Finland 2005 5.3 million All
allergies
€468
million
€51.7
million
€519.7
million
South
Korea
2005 50 million Asthma
Allergic
Rhinitis
– –
US$1.78
billion
US$266
million
Israel 7.5 million Asthma – – US250
million
Mexico 2007 103 million Asthma US$35
million
USA 2007
2005
310.2
million
Asthma
Allergic
Rhinitis
US$14.7
billion
US$11.2
billion
US$5
billion
Up to
US$ 9.7
billion
US$19.7
billion
Up to
$20.9
billion
* Direct costs: Expenditure on medications and health care provision
** Indirect costs: Cost to society from loss of work, social support, loss of taxation income, home
modifications, lower productivity at work, etc
Source: Member Society Reports in: Pawankar R, Canonica GW, Holgate ST, and
Lockey RF, editors. WAO White Book on Allergy (World Allergy Organization), 2011.
Full Text
Prepared for World Allergy Week 4-10 April 2011

Economic Impact of Cancer

The financial costs of cancer are high for both the person with cancer and for society as a whole.

The Agency for Healthcare research and Quality (AHRQ) estimates that the direct medical costs (total of all health care costs) for cancer in the US in 2015 were $80.2 billion.

52% of this cost is for hospital outpatient or doctor office visits
38% of this cost is for inpatient hospital stays