Conditions

Dry eyes: causes, relief, and when to see an optometrist

Gritty, burning, watery, or tired eyes by the end of the day? Dry eye is one of the most common reasons people visit an optometrist — and often very treatable. Here's what's going on and what genuinely helps.

What causes dry eye?

• Screen time — we blink up to 50% less when staring at screens, so the tear film evaporates.
• Age & hormones — tear production naturally declines, especially after 50.
• Environment — wind, heating/AC, and dry climates.
• Meibomian gland dysfunction — the oil glands in your lids get blocked, so tears evaporate too fast (the most common cause).
• Contact lenses & some medications.

What you can do at home

• The 20-20-20 rule — every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds, and blink fully.
• Warm compresses on the eyelids to loosen the oil glands.
• Preservative-free artificial tears — and a humidifier in dry rooms.
• Stay hydrated; consider omega-3s.

When home care isn't enough — in-clinic treatment

If drops only mask the problem, an optometrist can find the actual cause and treat it directly. At Eyeology that can include a proper dry-eye assessment plus in-clinic therapies that target the oil glands and inflammation, addressing underlying causes that drops alone may not.

When to see an optometrist

Book an exam if your dry eye is persistent, painful, affects your vision, or doesn't improve with drops. Dry eye can also be a sign of other conditions worth ruling out.