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Dry eyes
Category: Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat · All head & senses symptoms
What it can feel like
Dry eyes feel gritty, sore, burning or tired, and paradoxically may water a lot as the eye reflexively floods a poorly lubricated surface. Symptoms are often worse with screens (we blink less), wind, air conditioning and at the end of the day.
Possible causes
A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.
Common causes
Dry eye can be associated with reduced blinking during screen work, ageing, contact lenses, air conditioning and central heating, hay fever treatments and many medicines including antidepressants and antihistamines.
Other possible causes
Persistent dry eye can be associated with eyelid gland dysfunction (meibomian gland disease), inflammation of the eye surface, and Sjögren's syndrome when combined with a dry mouth and joint pains — an autoimmune condition of tear and saliva glands.
Red flags — when to seek help promptly
- Dry eye with pain, light sensitivity or reduced vision
- Dry eye with a red eye that is not settling
- Dry eyes together with a persistently dry mouth and fatigue
- One eye only that is dry, red and uncomfortable for weeks
What a clinician may do
Assessment looks at the tear film, eyelids and glands, and staining of the eye surface. Management is stepwise: lubricating drops and gels, warm compresses and lid care for the glands, environmental adjustments, and prescription anti-inflammatory drops for persistent cases.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
Why do my eyes water if they are dry?
Poor-quality tears fail to coat the eye, the surface stings, and the gland responds with a flood of watery tears that lack the oily layer needed to stay put. Watering in wind is often a dryness problem, not excess tears.
Can screens really dry eyes out?
Yes — blink rate falls by more than half during concentrated screen work, and each incomplete blink fails to spread the tear film. The 20-20-20 rule (looking away every 20 minutes) plus conscious blinking genuinely helps.
Related symptoms — Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat
Browse the D section of the A–Z list or return to the Symptoms A–Z hub.