What Causes Dry Eyes and How to Treat Them.

Dry eyes are a common and often frustrating condition that can affect people of all ages. Whether it’s a persistent gritty sensation, stinging, or blurred vision that comes and goes, dry eyes can interfere with your daily comfort and even impact your quality of life. Understanding the causes behind this condition—and knowing how to treat it effectively—is the first step toward lasting relief.

At The Eyecare Spot, we help patients pinpoint the underlying reasons for their dry eye symptoms and provide personalised treatment options based on their unique needs and lifestyle.

What Is Dry Eye?

Dry eye occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears, or when the tears they do produce are of poor quality. Healthy tears are made up of broadly of three layers. Each layer serves a specific purpose in lubricating and protecting the eye. If any one of these layers is disrupted, your eyes can become dry, irritated, and inflamed.

This condition can range from mild, occasional discomfort to a chronic issue that requires ongoing management. Left untreated, dry eyes can lead to more serious problems such as corneal damage or recurring infections.

Common Causes of Dry Eyes

There are many potential reasons your eyes may feel dry. Environmental factors, medical conditions, and even your daily habits can all contribute.

One of the most common causes is prolonged screen use. When you’re looking at a phone, tablet or computer, your blink rate naturally decreases, which reduces the spread of tears across the eye surface. Air conditioning, heating, and windy outdoor conditions can also accelerate tear evaporation.

Hormonal changes, particularly during menopause, can lead to dry eye symptoms, as can certain medications such as antihistamines, antidepressants, and some blood pressure treatments. Health conditions like thyroid issues and autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren’s syndrome can also play a role.

Wearing contact lenses for extended periods, or using lenses that don’t suit your eyes, can increase dryness. That’s why it’s essential to have a professional contact lens fitting to ensure the right materials and moisture content for your eyes.

Recognising the Symptoms

Dry eye symptoms can vary, but common signs include a stinging or burning sensation, a feeling of something in the eye, fluctuating vision, sensitivity to light, and watery eyes (which might seem counterintuitive but often result from the eye trying to compensate for dryness). If you notice these symptoms regularly, it’s important to seek professional advice. Our eye examinations include dry eye screening to identify the source and severity of the issue.

Treatment Options for Dry Eyes

Fortunately, there are several effective treatments for dry eyes, depending on what’s causing them. In mild cases, artificial tears or lubricating eye-drops can help restore moisture. For more persistent dryness, targeted therapies may be needed.

We may recommend hot compresses or eyelid hygiene routines to treat conditions like meibomian gland dysfunction, which affects the oily layer of your tears. For those with inflammation-related dry eye, anti-inflammatory drops or prescription medications may be used to restore balance to the tear film.

If screen time is a contributing factor, we might suggest adjusting your workspace lighting,and taking regular breaks using the 20-20-20 rule.

In some cases, punctal plugs can be inserted into the tear ducts to help retain tears on the eye surface for longer. Lifestyle changes, including hydration, diet, and humidity control can also make a significant difference.

Personalised Help from The Eyecare Spot

Because dry eye has many causes, it’s not a one-size-fits-all condition. At The Eyecare Spot, we take a personalised approach to diagnosis and treatment. During your consultation, we’ll assess your tear quality, eyelid health and discuss your daily environment to tailor a plan that provides lasting comfort.

Whether you're experiencing seasonal dryness or a long-term issue, relief is possible with the right care. Don’t wait for discomfort to become constant—book your eye test today and let’s take the next step toward healthier, happier eyes.