Symptoms
- Gritty, burning or sandy feeling
- Tired eyes that worsen through the day
- Blurring that improves on blinking
- Watery eyes (reflex tearing)
- Discomfort with contact lenses or screens
Dry eye
Dry eye disease happens when your tears can’t keep the eye surface comfortable — usually because the oily layer of the tear film is inadequate. It’s extremely common, worsened by screens, and very manageable.
Researched & fact-checked by Sanara Health Editorial Team
Why it happens
Most dry eye is evaporative: the meibomian glands in the eyelids under-deliver the oil that stops tears evaporating. Screen use (which halves blink rate), age, hormonal changes, some medicines and lid inflammation (blepharitis) all contribute.
Treatment
Consistent home therapy — lubricating drops, daily warm compresses and lid hygiene — controls most dry eye. Persistent cases benefit from specialist assessment, where prescription options and in-clinic treatments exist.
Self-care that helps
Preservative-free lubricating drops as needed; a 10-minute microwavable warm compress daily; the 20-20-20 screen rule with deliberate full blinks; omega-3-rich diet or supplement.
When to get help
Eye pain, marked light sensitivity, sudden vision change or one increasingly red eye are not normal dry eye — seek prompt assessment. Otherwise, if a month of consistent self-care hasn’t helped, get checked.
Go deeper
Related guides
Blepharitis: the eyelid condition behind so many irritated eyes
Consultant-reviewed guide to blepharitis — symptoms, the daily routine that controls it, and how it links to styes, chalazia and dry eye.
Dry eye: why it happens and what genuinely helps
A consultant ophthalmic surgeon's guide to dry eye disease — from screen habits and MGD to drops, warm compresses and when to seek help.
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