Dry eyes occur when your eyes don’t produce enough tears or your tears evaporate too quickly, leading to inflammation on the surface of the eye. You might experience symptoms like a gritty sensation, redness, and watery eyes, and you may find it challenging to wear contact lenses or drive at night. Treatment typically involves medications to reduce inflammation or stimulate more tears, and it sometimes involves procedures like plugging the tear ducts to reduce tear loss. Lifestyle factors, such as reducing screen time and being aware of environmental conditions, play a significant role in managing dry eyes.
What Is Dry Eye? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and PreventionMedically Reviewed by Edmund Tsui, MD | January 16, 2026
FAQ
What causes dry eyes?
Environmental irritants, skin diseases that affect the eyes, hormonal changes in women, allergies, eye surgery, and chronic inflammation can cause dry eyes. Not blinking enough, taking certain medications, having vitamin deficiencies, and long-term contact lens use can also contribute.
What are the common symptoms of dry eyes?
Common dry eye symptoms include stinging, burning, itchiness, redness, pain, and a feeling that something is stuck in your eye. You may also notice stringy discharges, briefly blurry vision, temporarily watery eyes, increased light sensitivity, and heavy eyelids.
How are dry eyes diagnosed?
Eye doctors, or ophthalmologists, can closely examine different parts of the eye, including the eyelids and cornea, to make a diagnosis. They will also conduct tests to measure tear production and quality using a special dye.
What are common treatments for dry eyes?
For mild cases, various over-the-counter artificial tears are available. More severe dry eye may require prescription eye drops or nasal sprays with cyclosporine, antibiotics, corticosteroids, and tear-preserving or tear-stimulating agents. Surgical procedures are also available.
Can lifestyle changes help with dry eyes?
Looking away from your computer screen every 20 minutes, blinking regularly, and using eye protection when there is strong wind may relieve or prevent dry eyes. Drinking enough water, stopping smoking, and removing makeup daily can also help.
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Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified internal medicine physician and an assistant professor of clinical medicine and the director of the care management program at Weill Cornell ...
Michael W. Stewart, MD, is professor and chairman of ophthalmology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Knights Templar Eye Foundation Professor of Ophthalmology Resear...
Brittni Scruggs, MD, PhD, is an adult and pediatric vitreoretinal surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Scruggs teaches medical ...
Ghazala O'Keefe, MD, is an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, where she also serves as the section director for uveitis and as ...
Daniel S. Casper, MD, PhD, is a professor emeritus of ophthalmology and a senior lecturer in ophthalmology at Columbia University. He teaches medical students at Columbia's Vagelos...
Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care ...
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