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Educational content only
This page is general patient education, not medical advice. It does not diagnose conditions, recommend specific treatments for you, or replace a conversation with your eye care provider. Always consult a qualified clinician before making decisions about your eye health.
Dry eye is incredibly common — and very treatable. It happens when your eyes don't make enough tears, or the tears evaporate too fast.
What's happening
Your tears are a three-layer recipe.
A healthy tear film has three layers: an oily outer layer that prevents evaporation, a watery middle layer that hydrates, and a mucus inner layer that helps tears stick to the eye.
When any layer is off — usually the oily one from blocked glands in your eyelids — your eyes feel gritty, burn, or paradoxically water excessively.
What helps
Here's the plan — and why it works.
Daily routine
Artificial tears
Start with preservative-free drops. Use 4–6x daily or whenever eyes feel uncomfortable.
Warmth + pressure
Warm compresses
Heat melts the waxy oils clogging your eyelid glands. 10 minutes, morning and night.
Prescription
Anti-inflammatory drops
Prescription anti-inflammatory eye drops your eye doctor may recommend can help reduce ocular surface inflammation.
In-office
Advanced therapies
IPL, LipiFlow, or punctal plugs when drops alone aren't enough.
When to call us
Sudden severe pain, vision changes, light sensitivity, or discharge that lasts more than a day could mean infection, a scratch, or other problems that need attention right away.
Common questions
Honest answers to common questions.
Why do my eyes water if they're dry?+
It sounds backwards, but reflex tearing is your body's emergency response to irritation. These tears lack the oily and mucus layers, so they run right out without lubricating the eye. Treating dry eye often reduces this watering.
Can dry eye be cured?+
It's more managed than cured. Think of it like skincare — once you find the right routine, symptoms improve and stay improved. Occasional flare-ups happen, especially in dry climates or during screen-heavy weeks.
Do I have to take drops forever?+
Maybe not. Many patients start with artificial tears several times a day, then taper as deeper treatments (warm compresses, prescription drops, in-office procedures) heal the underlying cause.
Will dry eye damage my vision?+
In mild to moderate cases, no — it's mostly a comfort issue. Severe, untreated dry eye can cause fluctuating vision and rarely corneal damage, which is why we treat it seriously even when it feels minor.
Is screen time making it worse?+
Definitely. You blink about 30% less while staring at screens. Try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds — and blink fully.