Last updated: October 2026
Dry eyes happen when you don’t make enough tears or your tears dry up too quickly. Common triggers are long screen sessions, central heating, wind, contact lenses, being over 50, menopause and some medicines. Most cases ease with pharmacy lubricating drops, warm compresses, lid cleaning and screen breaks. A painful red eye needs same-day advice.
Dry eye is very common: in a UK study of 282 adults from Aston University, about one in three met the international definition of dry eye disease. Below: the causes, the symptoms (including why dry eyes can water), a quick symptom table, what helps, a winter routine for screen workers, the honest story on omega 3 and when to get help.
What causes dry eyes?
Your tear film has three layers: a sticky mucus layer, a watery middle layer and an oily outer layer that slows evaporation. Dry eye starts when you make too few tears or the tears you make evaporate too fast. The NHS and NHS eye clinics list these common causes:
- Screens and reduced blinking. The NHS lists looking at computer screens for a long time without a break. When you concentrate you blink less: a Glasgow study found blink rate fell about fivefold during screen use. See working from home for setting up a healthier desk day.
- Central heating and air conditioning. Heated or air conditioned rooms dry the air, so tears evaporate faster. Many people notice it in autumn, when the heating goes on.
- Wind, cold and dust. The NHS lists windy, dry or dusty conditions. Cold wind also makes eyes water as a reflex.
- Contact lenses. Wearing lenses makes dry eyes more likely, and the NHS suggests swapping to glasses to rest your eyes.
- Age. The NHS says dry eyes are more likely over 50, and the College of Optometrists says dry eye becomes more common with age.
- Menopause. Women who have been through the menopause tend to make fewer tears, and the College of Optometrists notes dry eye is more common in post-menopausal women. See perimenopause symptoms for the wider list.
- Blepharitis and meibomian gland problems. Blepharitis (inflamed eyelid margins) and blocked oil glands along the lids leave the tear film without enough oil, so it breaks up quickly.
- Some medicines. The NHS names some antidepressants and blood pressure medicines. An NHS eye clinic leaflet adds antihistamines and hormone replacement therapy. Never stop a prescribed medicine without talking to your GP or pharmacist first.
- Autoimmune conditions. Sjögren’s syndrome affects the glands that make tears and saliva, so a dry mouth alongside dry eyes is a clue. Lupus is also linked.
- Smoking and alcohol. Both are on the NHS list, including time in smoky rooms.
In the Aston study, being female, having other health conditions, short sleep and lots of time outdoors were all linked with dry eye. Often there’s more than one factor at once, such as a 55 year old woman in a heated office wearing contact lenses.
Dry eye symptoms
The NHS says your eyes may feel:
- gritty, as if there is sand or an eyelash in them
- itchy, sore or burning
- red
- blurry
- sensitive to light
- more watery than normal
Why dry eyes can water
It sounds backwards, but watering is a common sign of dry eye. When the surface of the eye dries in patches, it gets irritated and the eye makes a flood of reflex tears. Those tears don’t fix the underlying problem, so the eye can stream and still feel dry. The NHS lists dry eyes as one cause of watering eyes.
Blurred vision that comes and goes
Your tear film is also a focusing surface. When it becomes uneven, vision can blur on and off. Your eyelids work like windscreen wipers, spreading a fresh layer of tears each time you blink, so blur that clears with a few full blinks points towards the tear film. A typical pattern is clear vision at the start of reading that goes fuzzy after 10 to 20 minutes. Blur that doesn’t clear when you blink, or that comes on suddenly, needs checking.
If you also get headaches after long screen days, see headache behind the eyes and tension headaches. If your eyelid is flickering too, see eye twitching.
Symptom, likely cause, what to do
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Gritty, tired eyes by mid afternoon at a desk | Blinking less at a screen, heated or air conditioned office | 20-20-20 breaks, screen just below eye level, lubricating drops |
| Eyes stream outdoors in cold wind | Reflex tearing from wind and cold | Wraparound glasses, drops before you go out |
| Sore, crusty lid edges, lids stuck together in the morning | Blepharitis or blocked oil glands | Warm compress and lid cleaning every day; GP if no better |
| Dryness worse after hours in contact lenses | Lens wear | Glasses for a few days; ask your optician about lens type and wearing time |
| Dry eyes plus a very dry mouth or aching joints | Possibly Sjögren’s syndrome or another autoimmune condition | See a GP |
| Dryness started after a new medicine | Side effect (for example some antidepressants, antihistamines or blood pressure tablets) | Ask your pharmacist or GP; don’t stop it yourself |
| Eyes sore and dry on waking | Dry bedroom air, or lids not fully closing in sleep | Humidifier, no fan on your face; ask a pharmacist about a night gel or ointment |
| Painful red eye, light hurts, or vision changes | Could be something more serious than dry eye | Same day: urgent GP, NHS 111, an NHS urgent eyecare optician or A&E (see below) |
What helps dry eyes
Dry eye is not usually serious, and the NHS self-care advice works for many people. Give it a few weeks.
1. Lubricating drops, gels and ointments from a pharmacy
These are often called artificial tears and you don’t need a prescription. A pharmacist can help you choose. Thicker gels last longer but can blur vision for a moment. If you use drops many times a day, preservative-free versions are often recommended. Ointments are usually kept for bedtime because they blur vision.
2. Warm compresses and lid cleaning
This helps when blocked oil glands or blepharitis are part of the problem. The NHS method:
- Soak a clean flannel in warm (not hot) water and press it gently on your closed eyelids. For blepharitis, the NHS suggests 5 to 10 minutes. The warmth makes the oil in the glands runnier.
- Gently massage your eyelids with a finger or cotton bud to push the oil out of the glands.
- Wipe along the lid edges with cotton wool soaked in warm water to remove crusts and grime.
Do it every day, and keep going even when your eyes feel better.
3. Screen breaks and the 20-20-20 rule
Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 metres) away for 20 seconds. In a small trial, people who got 20-20-20 reminders on their laptops for two weeks reported fewer dry eye and eye strain symptoms, but the benefit faded within a week of stopping. The habit matters more than the rule. The NHS also suggests setting your screen just below eye level. Screen dryness is mainly about blinking less, so blue light glasses don’t address it.
4. Add moisture to the air
The NHS suggests a humidifier. Keep fans, car heater vents and air conditioning from blowing across your face, and limit long stretches in heated, smoky or dusty rooms.
5. Protect your eyes outdoors
An NHS self-care leaflet recommends wraparound glasses to shield your eyes from wind, hot air, smoke and dust. They are worth keeping in your coat pocket for cold, windy walks.
6. Rest your contact lenses
Swap to glasses for a few days. If lenses keep making your eyes dry, ask your optician about a different lens or shorter wearing time.
7. Everyday habits
The College of Optometrists lists staying well hydrated among simple lifestyle measures (see how much water to drink). The NHS advises not smoking and not drinking too much alcohol. Sleep counts too: short sleep was linked with dry eye in the Aston study. See sleep hygiene and alcohol and sleep.
A winter routine for screen workers
Heating on, windows shut, darker mornings and long screen days: winter is a hard season for dry eyes. Here is a simple routine built from the advice above (and see our winter wellness guide for the rest of you).
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Morning | Warm compress and lid clean (5 minutes, while the kettle boils). A drop in each eye if they feel gritty on waking. |
| Commute or walk | Wraparound glasses or close-fitting sunglasses in wind. Point car heater vents at your feet, not your face. |
| Desk set-up | Screen just below eye level. Move away from radiators and air vents if you can. |
| Every 20 minutes | Look 20 feet away for 20 seconds and blink fully a few times. Set a reminder: the trial benefit faded when reminders stopped. |
| Every hour or two | Get up, refill your water and look out of a window. |
| Afternoon slump | Lubricating drops if your eyes feel gritty. Contact lens wearers: switch to glasses for the evening. |
| Evening | Phone and laptop in shorter bursts. Warm compress again if your lids are sore. |
| Bedroom | Heating lower overnight, no fan on your face, a humidifier if the air is very dry. Ask a pharmacist about a night gel if your eyes are worst in the morning. |
If a warm drink is part of your evening wind-down, our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex is one option. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal functioning of the nervous system. It is not an eye product and won’t treat dry eyes.
Dry eyes at night and in the morning
Many people search for why dry eyes are worse at night or first thing. Common reasons:
- Dry bedroom air from heating left on overnight. See the best temperature for sleep.
- Eyelids that don’t close fully during sleep, which leaves a strip of eye exposed. A partner may notice this. NHS eye specialists say a bedtime ointment is especially helpful here, and for people whose symptoms are worst in the morning.
- Blepharitis, which can make lids stick together in the morning.
- A long day of screens leaving your eyes tired by bedtime.
A soft, well-fitting sleep mask keeps light out and can shield your eyes from moving air. Choose one that doesn’t press on your eyes. If your eyes don’t close properly when you sleep, tell your optician or GP rather than relying on a mask.
Does omega 3 help dry eyes?
Probably not much, on the best evidence. Omega 3 supplements are often suggested for dry eyes, and some older NHS leaflets still recommend them. But the largest trial, DREAM, gave 535 people with moderate to severe dry eye either 3,000mg of fish oil (EPA and DHA) or an olive oil placebo every day for a year. Both groups improved by a similar amount, with no significant difference in symptoms or eye tests.
A 2019 Cochrane review of 34 trials found low certainty evidence of little to no reduction in symptoms with long-chain omega 3 versus placebo, and called the overall evidence uncertain and inconsistent.
That doesn’t make oily fish a bad idea, and in DREAM side effects were similar in both groups. But don’t expect a supplement to replace drops, lid care and screen breaks. Our omega 3 guide covers foods, doses and what the research says for other uses.
When to see an optician, GP or urgent service
Start with a pharmacist
A pharmacist can advise on drops, gels, ointments and lid care, and tell you if you need to see an optician or GP.
See an optician or GP if
- you still have dry eyes after a few weeks of home treatment
- the shape of your eyelids changes
- you also have a very dry mouth, joint pain or extreme tiredness
An optician or GP can check what the cause might be and recommend treatment. If they can’t find a cause, they may refer you to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist).
Get same-day help (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111) if
- your eye is painful and red
- you have a red eye and wear contact lenses, as this could be an infection
In many areas of England, local opticians run an NHS community urgent eyecare service (CUES) for red or painful eyes. Phone first rather than walking in. NHS 111 can also direct you.
Call 999 or go to A&E if
- you have changes to your sight, such as wavy lines, flashing or loss of vision
- it hurts to look at light
- you have a red eye, a severe headache and feel sick
- your eye is very dark red, injured or has something stuck in it
Don’t drive yourself to A&E with an eye problem.
FAQs
Why are my eyes suddenly so dry?
Common reasons are the heating going on, a long run of screen work, a cold windy spell, new contact lenses or a new medicine. If dry eyes come with pain, redness, light sensitivity or vision changes, get same-day advice.
Why do my eyes water if they are dry?
Dry patches irritate the eye, which then makes a flood of watery reflex tears. They don’t fix the underlying dryness, so watering and dryness often go together.
Why are my dry eyes worse in the morning?
Dry bedroom air, eyelids that don’t close fully in sleep and blepharitis are common reasons. A pharmacist can suggest a night gel or ointment, and an optician can check your lids.
Can screens cause dry eyes?
Yes. You blink much less when you concentrate on a screen, so tears evaporate. Regular breaks using the 20-20-20 rule and a screen set just below eye level help.
Does drinking more water help dry eyes?
Staying well hydrated is one of the simple lifestyle measures the College of Optometrists suggests, but water alone rarely fixes dry eyes. Combine it with drops, lid care and screen breaks.
Do omega 3 supplements help dry eyes?
The large DREAM trial found fish oil was no better than an olive oil placebo after a year, and a Cochrane review called the evidence uncertain.
Are dry eyes serious?
Usually not, and self-care often helps. But a painful red eye, light sensitivity or changes in vision need same-day medical advice.
Sources
- NHS. Dry eyes.
- NHS. Blepharitis; Sjögren’s syndrome; Watering eyes.
- College of Optometrists. Clinical Management Guideline: Dry eye (version 17, 2026).
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds Centre for Ophthalmology. Dry eyes (patient leaflet).
- NHS South West London. Self care: managing your dry eyes and sore tired eyes.
- Primary Eyecare Services. Community Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES).
- Vidal-Rohr M et al. The epidemiology of dry eye disease in the UK: the Aston dry eye study. Cont Lens Anterior Eye, 2023.
- Patel S et al. Effect of visual display unit use on blink rate and tear stability. Optom Vis Sci, 1991.
- Talens-Estarelles C et al. The effects of breaks on digital eye strain, dry eye and binocular vision: testing the 20-20-20 rule. Cont Lens Anterior Eye, 2023.
- DREAM Study Research Group. n-3 fatty acid supplementation for the treatment of dry eye disease. N Engl J Med, 2018.
- Downie LE et al. Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids for dry eye disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2019.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex, which is not an eye product.
