An estimated 16 million to 50.2 million Americans have dry eye disease (5-15% of the population).

Roughly 35-75% of people are heavily bothered by dry eye symptoms, causing reduced screen time productivity and discomfort.

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Dry eye syndrome is treated with a combination of lubricating drops, lifestyle adjustments, and prescription therapies to improve tear production and stability. Effective remedies include using preservative-free artificial tears, warm compresses, lid hygiene, taking frequent screen breaks, and incorporating omega-3 supplements.
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Over-the-Counter (OTC) Treatments & Home Remedies
Artificial Tears: Use lubricating eye drops frequently to supplement natural tears; preservative-free drops are recommended if using more than 4-6 times daily.
Lubricating Gels/Ointments: Use thicker gels or ointments for long-lasting relief, particularly at night to treat dryness while sleeping.
Warm Compresses: Apply a warm, clean cloth or heating mask to closed eyes for 5-10 minutes to help open oil glands.
Lid Hygiene: Clean eyelids gently with mild soap or specialized lid wipes to reduce inflammation, especially if you have blepharitis.
Environmental Changes: Use a humidifier in your bedroom, avoid direct air from fans/vents, and wear wraparound sunglasses to prevent evaporation.
Lifestyle Changes: Increase blinking, reduce screen time, and ensure you are not smoking.
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Prescription Treatments
Medicated Eye Drops: Prescription drops, such as cyclosporine (Restasis) or lifitegrast (Xiidra), increase tear production, while short-term corticosteroids can reduce severe inflammation.
Punctal Plugs: Tiny silicone or gel plugs can be inserted into the tear ducts by a doctor to prevent tears from draining away.
Oral Medications: Omega-3 fatty acid supplements can improve tear quality. Some cases may require oral antibiotics (like tetracycline or doxycycline) for inflammation.
Advanced Treatments: Procedures such as intense pulsed light (IPL) or specialized cleaning, such as microblepharoexfoliation, can be used for blocked glands.
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Timeline for Relief
Immediate/Temporary: Artificial tears and compresses offer temporary relief from immediate dryness.
Long-term: Prescription eye drops may take several weeks to months of consistent use to show maximum efficacy in increasing natural tear production.

Dry eyes affect the layers of tears that cover your cornea. It happens when you don’t have enough tears or when your tears evaporate too quickly. Symptoms include burning, itching and a gritty feeling in your eye. You may need to try several different treatments to find a solution that works for you.

What Is Dry Eye?
Symptoms of dry eye include blurred vision, sensitivity to light and watery eyes
When you have dry eye, symptoms include the feeling that there’s something in your eye that won’t come out.
Dry eye is a condition that affects your tear film, the three layers of tears that cover and protect the surface of your eyes. You need a smooth and stable tear film to help you see clearly and comfortably. Disruptions to your tear film can cause uncomfortable symptoms, like burning, itching, watering or blurred vision.

Many different factors can prevent your tear film from working as it should and lead to dry eyes. Its causes and risk factors are numerous and complex. So, it may take a while to get to the root of the problem and figure out what’s causing your symptoms. If you have dry eye syndrome, it’s important to establish care with an ophthalmologist or optometrist to manage your condition.

Types of dry eye disease
There are a few types of dry eye disease:

Aqueous deficient dry eye: This is when the lacrimal glands of your eyes don’t produce enough aqueous tears. These tears make up the middle, watery layer of your tear film.
Evaporative dry eye: This is when your tears evaporate too quickly, most commonly because of meibomian gland dysfunction.
Mixed dry eye: Some people have aqueous tear deficiency and tear instability. This means your eyes don’t produce enough tears, plus your tear film is unstable.
Symptoms and Causes
Symptoms of dry eye
When you have dry eye, you may feel like there’s something in your eye that just won’t come out. This can feel like a scratchy, gritty or sandy sensation. Dry eye symptoms may also include:

Blurry or fluctuating vision
Burning or stinging
Feeling sensitive to light (photophobia)
Mucus that comes out of your eye (eye discharge)
Watery eyes (epiphora), with excess tears running down your cheeks
The symptom of watery eyes may seem confusing. But it’s a very common part of dry eye syndrome. It happens when your meibomian glands aren’t making enough oil. So, the watery layer evaporates too quickly. In response, your lacrimal glands compensate by making too much water. This doesn’t solve the underlying problem.

Dry eye causes
Causes of dry eyes include:

Eyes that don’t produce enough tears
Tears that evaporate too quickly
Both of these happen together
Eye dryness may occur on its own or along with other medical conditions. In some cases, dry eye is a sign of:

Blepharitis
Sjögren’s syndrome
Thyroid eye disease
Risk factors for dry eyes
Some risks you can’t control. For example, the older you get, the more likely you are to develop dry eye. But other risks you may be able to manage through lifestyle changes or adjustments to your medications. Risk factors for dry eyes include:

Environment and lifestyle factors: Things like the weather, how much time you spend looking at screens, contact lens use, smoking or allergies can increase your risk of dry eye.
Medications: Taking certain medications can increase your risk of dry eye, including some that treat depression, allergies, blood pressure, glaucoma, menopause and pain.
Medical conditions: Many different neurological disorders, eye diseases, autoimmune diseases and endocrine conditions can raise your risk of dry eye.
Surgeries: Some eye surgeries increase your risk of dry eye, including LASIK, cataract surgery and surgery on your cornea.
Complications of dry eyes
Complications of dry eyes can range from mild to severe. These may include:

Corneal scarring
Corneal ulcers
Eye irritation
Infection
Vision problems
Diagnosis and Tests
How doctors diagnose dry eye disease
Your healthcare provider may ask you to fill out a questionnaire to learn about your symptoms and medical history. You should be prepared to provide lots of information, including:

Eye-related symptoms and how long you’ve had them
Environmental factors that make your symptoms worse
Other symptoms, including dry mouth, cavities, mouth ulcers, fatigue and joint pain
History of eye diseases
History of other medical conditions, including allergies and chronic viral infections
Then, your provider will give you a thorough eye exam to assess the quality of your eyes and determine what’s causing your symptoms. During your exam, your provider will look for signs of dry eye disease and check the health of your tear film.

Tests that diagnose dry eye
There’s no single test that diagnoses dry eye syndrome. Rather, your healthcare provider may use many tests, including:

Slit lamp exam: This test checks for signs of dry eye. Your provider shines a light into each of your eyes and uses a microscope to examine your eyes and eyelids.
Schirmer’s test: Your provider places a tiny piece of paper along the edge of your eyelid to measure the amount of tears produced.
Tear breakup time (TBUT) test: This test checks how quickly your tears evaporate. Your provider puts dye into your eye and uses a microscope to see how long your tear film remains stable.
Your provider may also order other tests, like antibody tests, to check for underlying conditions that could be causing eye dryness.

Management and Treatment
How are dry eyes treated?
Dry eye treatment depends on the severity of your symptoms and any underlying conditions you have. You may need to try many different treatments before finding dry eye relief. Treatment for dry eye may include:

Eye drops: There are many different types of eye drops. Artificial tears lubricate and soothe your eyes, temporarily relieving symptoms. They’re available over the counter.
Ointments: If your eyes dry out while you sleep, you can use a thicker lubricant at night, like an ointment.
Punctal occlusion: If your eyes don’t produce enough tears, punctal occlusion (temporary or permanent) may be a helpful option for you.
Scleral lenses: These contact lenses come into contact with your sclera (the white part of your eye). They protect and lubricate your eyes while also correcting your vision.
Tear stimulation: A medication called pilocarpine can stimulate tear production and may improve symptoms of dry eye disease.
Acupuncture: Acupuncture may help improve the signs and symptoms of dry eye.
Surgery: Your provider can surgically correct eyelid misalignment or, in severe cases, perform surgery to reduce tear evaporation.
Dry eye syndrome self-care
Your healthcare provider may suggest you start with home remedies, especially if your symptoms are mild.

Avoid environmental triggers: These include cigarette smoke, air vents blowing toward your face, wind and allergens. It may help to wear wraparound glasses or sunglasses.
Use a humidifier in your bedroom: Depending on where you live, your home may have very low humidity levels during the winter when you’re using the heat. A humidifier can help.
Place a warm compress over your eyes: Purchase a heat mask for eyes at any drug store and leave it on your eyes for 10 minutes each evening.
Give your eyes a rest: Take frequent breaks when you’re reading or using a computer. Also, try to remember to blink often to help your tear production.
Take omega-3 fatty acid supplements: Some research shows these supplements may support tear production and help your symptoms.
When should I see my healthcare provider?
Your ophthalmologist will tell you how often you need to come in for appointments. If other medical conditions are causing your dry eye, you may need regular follow-ups with other healthcare providers, too. Be sure to go to all of your appointments so your care team can monitor your condition and help you receive treatment.

Call your ophthalmologist if you experience:

New side effects from treatments
New symptoms
Symptoms that get worse
Outlook / Prognosis
Does dry eye go away?
Dry eye is a long-term (chronic) condition. It doesn’t have a cure, but treatments can help manage your symptoms.

You may have to try several different treatments to find what works best for you. This can be a stressful process, but it’s worth the effort. Talk to your provider if your current treatments aren’t working or you want to discuss other options.

How to Say Bye to Dry Eye
Dry eye happens when the eye doesn't make enough tears or makes poor-quality tears. As a result, the surface of the eye isn't lubricated enough. In other words, there’s a lack of balance in the tear-flow system.

How Does Dry Eye Happen?
Many factors can unbalance the system:

Health conditions can affect your ability to make tears. These conditions include Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and collagen vascular diseases.
Environmental triggers, such as pollution or the weather, play a role.
Medicines like these can sometimes cause dry eye:
antihistamines
some glaucoma medicines
asthma medicine
birth control pills
hormone replacement therapy
Computer use and contact lens wear can make dry eye worse.
Dry Eye Tips Video
Dry eye is a complex disease that has many causes that often overlap and interact. For many people, a few simple lifestyle changes can resolve dry eye. If your eyes are still irritated after trying these tips, see your ophthalmologist.


Which Dry Eye Treatment Is Best for You?
Because many things can cause dry eye, a variety of treatments are available. For most people with occasional or mild dry eye, over-the-counter eye drops (artificial tears) can help. If your symptoms are persistent and more serious, your ophthalmologist can help. They can offer other options or switch medicines that may be causing dry eye symptoms.

Here are some dry eye treatment options, depending on the cause and severity of your dry eye:

Antibiotic to reduce eyelid inflammation. Inflammation along the edge of your eyelids can keep oil glands from releasing oil into your tears.
Prescription eye drops with medications such as cyclosporine or lifitegrast may control inflammation of the cornea.
Tear-stimulating drugs. These drugs are available as pills, gel or eye drops, or nasal spray.
Eyedrops made from your own blood. These are called autologous blood serum drops.
Tiny silicone plugs that close your tear ducts to reduce tear loss.
Light therapy or eyelid massage to unblock oil glands.
Surgery to treat an eyelid condition called ectropion.

Dry Eye Is on the Rise: Here’s How to Get Relief
Age, hormone changes, and too much screen time are often to blame.

If you often experience a stinging, burning, or scratchy feeling in your eyes, chances are you have chronic dry eye. It affects an estimated one in 10 U.S. adults—and research shows that this condition is on the rise.

While experts believe that age and hormone changes are among the most common causes of chronic dry eye, our increasing reliance on smartphones, computers, and other screen-based technologies may explain the recent increase in cases.

“Looking at screens certainly can worsen dry eye symptoms,” says Gargi Khare Vora, MD, a Yale Medicine ophthalmologist. “We don’t blink as much when we are focusing on a screen, and this can worsen dry eye.”

Fortunately, many treatment options—including new ones—are available for chronic dry eye, ranging from mild over-the-counter treatments to prescription medications and medical procedures. “Each step up is a little more aggressive but fortunately, most patients are able to find a treatment that works," Dr. Vora says.

Treatment depends on the cause
The best treatment for dry eye depends in part on what’s causing the condition. Different problems can lead to chronic dry eye. Doctors divide the condition into three categories based on the underlying source of the discomfort:

Aqueous deficient: Your eyes don’t produce enough tears to keep them moist and lubricated.
Evaporative: Your eyes produce tears, but they evaporate too quickly to do their job.
Mixed dry eye: Your eyes are affected by both issues described above.
“Most patients with dry eye have a low-grade, chronic mixed dry eye that can go through flares every so often,” Dr. Vora says.

Doctors have quite a few tools to treat this chronic condition. “Generally, if we can find the underlying cause of the dry eye, we can target our treatment accordingly,” she says.

How do you manage chronic dry eye?
Depending on the cause of your dry eye, an ophthalmologist will likely want to start with the mildest treatment that could help you and work their way up the treatment ladder if needed.

Here are the most commonly used dry eye treatments:

Over-the-counter and home remedies
First-line treatments for chronic dry eye include items you can pick up at the local drugstore without a prescription and treatments you can do yourself at home. Your doctor can offer guidance on which products or strategies might work best for you.

“These treatments generally treat low-grade, symptomatic dry eye,” Dr. Vora says. “They’re readily accessible and have minimal risk.”

Artificial tears: These are non-prescription eye drops, usually called “artificial tears” or “lubricating eye drops,” that can help keep your eyes hydrated as needed. “Avoid any drops that target ‘eye redness,’” Vora says. “These are generally not great for the eyes long term and can lead to rebound eye redness.”

Moisturizing ointment: As the name suggests, this is a moisturizer for the surfaces of your eyes. Ointment can bring a lot of relief to chronically dry eyes, but it’s also thick and can blur your vision, so you’d typically reserve this for nighttime use right before bed. To apply the ointment, squeeze a small amount into your lower eyelid and close your eye to spread the lubrication. Don’t use ointment while you’re wearing contact lenses. It will damage the lenses.

Eyelid scrubs: These products are specifically formulated to gently cleanse the eyelids along the lash line. This can wash away bacteria and reduce inflammation to ease dry eye.

Warm compress: A bit of warmth and pressure on the eyelids can help open clogged oil glands and release necessary oils into the eyes. This helps keep the surface of the eye lubricated and prevents tear evaporation.

Prescription medications
If over-the-counter and home remedies don’t provide enough relief, your doctor can offer prescription medications. There are a number of prescription drugs available to address the symptoms and underlying causes of dry eye:

Medicine to reduce eyelid inflammation: Inflammation along your lash line can clog oil glands and keep them from releasing oil. Antibiotics, in the form of pills, eye drops or ointment, can reduce inflammation and get your oil glands working properly again. Your doctor may prescribe them for shorter periods of a few weeks at a time, or you may take them long term.

Eye drops for cornea inflammation: An overactive immune system can cause inflammation on the surface of your eyes (the cornea) that leaves them dry and irritated. Eye drops targeting inflammation, such as cyclosporine (Restasis®) and liftegrast (Xiidra®), help patients produce more tears. Corticosteroids can also be used to reduce this inflammation for short periods of time. Be aware that corticosteroids are used only to relieve temporary flares of dry eye and are not recommended for long-term use.

Tear-stimulating nasal spray: Varenicline (Tyrvaya®) is a twice-daily nasal spray that stimulates tear production.

Custom-made eye drops: Autologous (meaning coming from your own body) blood serum drops can be made using a sample of your blood, minus the red and white blood cells, plus saline. This treatment is reserved for severe cases of dry eye that don’t respond to other treatments.

Medical procedures and devices
If medications don’t bring sufficient relief, you may be a candidate for a medical procedure to treat your chronic dry eye. These corrective procedures include:

Punctal plugs: These are tiny, removable plugs that an ophthalmologist inserts into the tear ducts. These plugs block the tear ducts so that tears stay on the surface of the eyeballs longer, rather than draining out of the eyes.

Thermal cautery: This procedure works the same way as punctal plug insertion, but it’s not reversible. Thermal cautery uses heat to permanently seal the tear ducts closed. Your tear ducts are like drains. After your eyes fill with tears, the tears drain out through the ducts. When the ducts are sealed, the tears stay on the surface of the eyes and keep them lubricated.

Thermal pulsation: This procedure uses one of several different devices approved by the Food and Drug Administration to warm and massage oil glands in order to unblock them. The concept works the same way as using warm compresses to help release oil into the eyes.

Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy: A longtime treatment for rosacea and skin lesions, IPL can relieve chronic dry eye, too. In 10-minute treatments administered four times a year, the light therapy is applied directly to the eyelids. It can reduce inflammation and clear blocked oil glands.

Amniotic membrane graft: For very difficult cases of dry eye, an amniotic membrane graft can heal the surface of the eye and correct the dysfunction that is causing the symptoms. The tissue used for the graft is derived from the inner lining of the amniotic sac, which holds a fetus during gestation. This tissue is donated by women who’ve delivered a baby by C-section.

Scleral lenses: Doctors resort to this option in patients with end-stage severe dry eye who haven’t gotten relief from any other treatment options. These lenses are placed on the surface of the eyeballs (like contact lenses) to trap moisture and shield the eye from drying air, wind, and dust.

Don't ignore dry eye
Moisture and lubrication on the surface of the eyes also play important roles for your vision. Your eyes need moisture for their health and function. Ongoing, severe dryness can damage the cornea and even lead to vision loss. That’s yet another reason why it’s important to get your dry eye symptoms under control.

How Do Tears Work?
When you blink, tears spread over the eye. This keeps the eye’s surface smooth and clear. Tears are important for good vision.

Tears are made of three layers:

An oily layer
A watery layer
A mucus layer
Each layer of your tears serves a purpose.

The oily layer is the outside of the tears. It makes the tear surface smooth and keeps tears from drying up too quickly. This layer comes from the meibomian glands in the eyelids.

The watery layer is the middle of the tears. It makes up most of what we see as tears. This layer cleans the eye, washing away particles that do not belong in the eye. This layer comes from the lacrimal glands in the eyelids.

The mucus layer is the inner layer of the tears. This helps spread the watery layer over the eye’s surface, keeping it moist. Without mucus, tears would not stick to the eye. Mucus is made in the conjunctiva. This is the clear tissue that covers the white of your eye and inside your eyelids.

Normally, our eyes constantly make tears to stay moist. If our eyes are irritated, or we cry, our eyes make a lot of tears. But, sometimes the eyes don’t make enough tears or something affects one or more layers of the tears. In those cases, we end up with dry eyes.

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Video: Dry Eye Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

What Does Dry Eye Feel Like?
Here are some of the symptoms of dry eye.

You feel like your eyes are stinging and burning.
Blurred vision, especially when reading
There is a scratchy or gritty feeling like something is in your eye.
There are strings of mucus in or around your eyes.
Your eyes are red or irritated. This is especially true when you are in the wind or near cigarette smoke.
It is painful to wear contact lenses.
You have lots of tears in your eyes.
Having a lot of tears in your eyes with dry eye might sound odd. But your eyes make more tears when they are irritated by dry eye.

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What Are the Main Causes of Dry Eye?
People tend to make fewer tears as they get older due to hormonal changes. Both men and women can get dry eye. However, it is more common in women—especially those who have gone through menopause.

Here are some other causes of dry eye.

Certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, thyroid disease, and lupus
Blepharitis (when eyelids are swollen or red)
Entropion (when eyelids turn in); ectropion (eyelids turn outward)
Being in smoke, wind or a very dry climate
Looking at a computer screen for a long time, reading and other activities that reduce blinking
Using contact lenses for a long time
Having refractive eye surgery, such as LASIK
Taking certain medicines, such as:
Diuretics (water pills) for high blood pressure
Beta-blockers, for heart problems or high blood pressure
Allergy and cold medicines (antihistamines)
Sleeping pills
Anxiety and antidepressant medicines
Heartburn medicines
Tell your ophthalmologist about all the prescription and non-prescription medicines you take.

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How Is Dry Eye Diagnosed?
Your ophthalmologist will begin with an eye exam. They will look at your eyelids and the surface of the eye. They will also check how you blink.

There are many different tests that help diagnose dry eyes. Your ophthalmologist may do a test that measures the quality or the thickness of your tears. They may also measure how quickly you produce tears.

Does Dry Eye Go Away?
Treating Dry Eye by Adding Tears
Your ophthalmologist might tell you to use artificial tears. These are eye drops that are like your own tears. You can use artificial tears as often as you need to. You can buy artificial tears without a prescription. There are many brands. Try a few until you find a brand that works best for you.

If you use artificial tears more than six times a day or are allergic to preservatives, you should use preservative-free tears. This is because the tears with preservatives may start to irritate your eyes.

Stop Dry Eye by Saving Tears
Everyone's eyelids have a tiny opening where tears drain out of the eye. If you have dry eyes, your ophthalmologist may suggest blocking this opening to prevent tears from draining out of your eyes. This makes your natural tears stay in your eyes longer. Tiny silicone or gel plugs (called punctal plugs) may be inserted to block the drain. These plugs can be removed later as needed. Your ophthalmologist could also recommend surgery that permanently closes the tear drainage system.

Stop Dry Eye by Increasing Your Tears
Your ophthalmologist might have you use a prescription eye drop medication. This helps your eyes make more of their own tears.

Treating Dry Eye Culprits
If your eyes are irritated, your ophthalmologist can treat those problems. They may recommend:

prescription eye drops or ointments
warm compresses on the eyes
massaging your eyelids
certain eyelid cleaners
Dry Eye Prevention Tips
Try not to use a hair dryer, if possible.
Stay away from very warm rooms. In the winter, add moisture to the air with a humidifier. Or put a pan of water near your heater or radiator.
Protect your eyes from drying wind by wearing wrap-around glasses outside.
Do you wake up with dry and scratchy eyes? Use artificial tear ointment or thick eye drops just before you go to bed.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dry Eye
Q. When should I see an ophthalmologist for dry eye instead of treating it on my own?
A: You should see an eye doctor if your dry eye symptoms are persistent, worsening, affecting daily activities, not relieved by over-the-counter lubricating drops, or accompanied by significant redness, pain, or vision changes. Chronic dry eye can sometimes indicate eyelid disease, autoimmune conditions, or other underlying problems that require medical evaluation. Learn about the newest treatments for dry eye, and ask your ophthalmologist if these treatments might be right for you.

Q. What is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), and how does it relate to dry eye?
A: Meibomian gland dysfunction occurs when the oil-producing glands in the eyelids become blocked or do not function properly. These oils are essential for preventing tears from evaporating too quickly. MGD is a leading cause of evaporative dry eye. Management may include warm compresses, eyelid hygiene, and treatments aimed at improving oil flow and reducing inflammation. Find out why dry eye is so challenging to treat, and why the underlying cause is so important to diagnose.

Q. Can other medical conditions or medications make dry eye worse?
A: Yes. Dry eye can be linked to systemic conditions such as autoimmune diseases, menopause-related hormonal changes, or chronic inflammation. Certain medications, including antihistamines, some blood pressure medicines, or antidepressants, can also contribute to dry eye symptoms. If symptoms persist, your ophthalmologist may evaluate your medical history to identify contributing factors.