What Causes Dry Eyes? Key Factors & Relief Tips

September 11, 2025

That gritty, burning, and just plain uncomfortable feeling we call "dry eye" usually boils down to a simple imbalance. Either your eyes aren't making enough tears, or the tears they are making are poor quality and disappear way too fast. When this happens, the surface of your eye is left exposed and unprotected.

Understanding Why Your Eyes Feel Dry

Think of the surface of your eye as a delicate garden. For it to stay healthy and vibrant, its sprinkler system needs to work perfectly—providing just enough water and making sure that water doesn't evaporate the second it hits the ground. Your eyes need the same thing: a stable film of tears to keep them clear, comfortable, and shielded from dust, wind, and everything else the world throws at them.

This tear film isn't just salty water; it’s actually a sophisticated, three-layered coating, and each layer has a critical job. When any part of this system breaks down, you start feeling the classic symptoms of dry eye. And if you're experiencing it, you're not alone—this condition is incredibly common.

In fact, research shows the worldwide prevalence of dry eye disease is estimated to be around 11.6%, with about 9.1% of people experiencing noticeable symptoms. The condition tends to affect women more than men, and the chances of developing it go up with age, especially after hitting 50. You can dig deeper into these global dry eye statistics and their impact to learn more.

The Two Core Problems of Dry Eye

At its heart, dry eye comes down to two main failures in your eye's natural "sprinkler system."

Not Making Enough Tears (Low Water Pressure): The lacrimal glands, tucked away just above your eyes, are responsible for producing the watery part of your tears. If they aren't making enough, your eyes simply don't get the moisture they need to stay lubricated. It’s like a sprinkler system with weak pressure—it just can't cover the whole garden.
Tears Evaporating Too Fast (No Protective Seal): Good tears need a protective oily layer on top to keep them from evaporating into the air. This oil comes from tiny meibomian glands along your eyelids. If these glands get clogged or aren't working right, your tears are left exposed and vanish almost instantly, leaving your eye's surface dry and vulnerable.

This next visual really breaks down how these crucial layers work together.

As the infographic shows, the outer lipid layer, the middle aqueous (watery) layer, and the inner mucin layer must all be in sync to create a stable, protective shield for your eyes.

To make it even clearer, here’s a quick summary of the two main culprits behind dry eye.

The Two Main Reasons for Dry Eyes

This table offers a quick comparison of the two primary mechanisms behind dry eye syndrome, which can help you start to identify the potential nature of your issue.

Cause of Dryness	What Is Happening in Your Eyes	How It Typically Feels
Inadequate Tear Production	Your tear glands aren't producing enough of the watery component of your tears.	A constant feeling of dryness, scratchiness, or the sensation that something is in your eye.
Poor Tear Quality (Evaporative)	The oily layer of your tears is deficient, causing your tears to evaporate too quickly.	Burning, stinging, watery eyes (a reflex to the irritation), and vision that blurs with blinking.

Most people who struggle with dry eye have a mix of both issues, but understanding the distinction is the first step toward finding the right relief.

A healthy tear film is the foundation of comfortable vision. When any of its layers are compromised, the entire system falters, leading to a cycle of irritation and inflammation that defines dry eye syndrome.

Ultimately, every factor we're about to explore—from aging and screen time to your environment and daily habits—causes discomfort by throwing one or both of these fundamental processes out of whack.

How Internal Health Affects Your Eyes

While it’s easy to blame wind, smoke, or screen time for dry eyes, many of the triggers actually start from within. Think of your body as a finely tuned machine—when one part is out of sync, it can create a ripple effect that shows up in the most unexpected places, like the surface of your eyes.

These internal factors usually disrupt your tears in one of two ways: they either sabotage the quality of your tears or they reduce the sheer quantity your eyes can produce. Getting to the bottom of these physiological causes is the first step toward finding real relief.

The Clogged Gland Dilemma

One of the most common reasons people suffer from dry, irritated eyes is a condition called Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). Picture the tiny glands along the rim of your eyelids. They're supposed to act like little olive oil dispensers, releasing a thin, protective oil that coats your tears every time you blink. This oily layer is crucial because it stops your tears from evaporating too quickly.

With MGD, those tiny glands get clogged. The oil, which should be clear and flow easily, thickens up to the consistency of toothpaste and creates a blockage. Without that essential oil sealing the deal, your tears are left completely exposed to the air and vanish almost instantly. It doesn't matter how many tears you produce; they just can't stick around long enough to do their job.

This single condition is a massive contributor to dry eye symptoms around the world. In fact, MGD is a leading cause of dry eye symptoms globally, impacting an estimated one billion people. With a pooled global prevalence of around 35.8%, its impact is widespread, causing the burning, irritation, and visual discomfort that so many people experience. You can read the full research about these MGD prevalence findings to understand its global scale.

Age and Hormonal Shifts

Sometimes, the culprit is simply time. Our bodies naturally change as we get older, and these shifts can directly impact how much moisture our eyes can maintain.

The Aging Process: Just like skin tends to get drier with age, our tear glands often become less productive over time. This is why many people over the age of 50 start to notice a natural dip in tear volume, making dry eye a much more common complaint among older adults.
Hormonal Fluctuations: Hormones, especially androgens and estrogens, are key players in regulating tear production. This connection explains why women are more prone to dry eyes during major hormonal shifts, like pregnancy, while on birth control pills, or particularly during menopause.

These biological changes can throw off the delicate signaling system that tells your glands to get to work, leading to chronic dryness.

When Your Immune System Is the Cause

In some cases, dry eye isn't a standalone problem but a red flag for a larger health issue. Certain autoimmune conditions can cause the body's own defense system to mistakenly attack healthy tissues—and that includes the very glands responsible for producing tears and saliva.

Sjögren's syndrome is the most well-known of these conditions, with intensely dry eyes and a dry mouth as its hallmark symptoms. For people with Sjögren's, the immune system directly targets and damages the lacrimal (tear) and salivary glands, severely crippling their ability to function. Other autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, can also bring on dry eye symptoms.

The Hidden Side Effects of Medications

Finally, it’s worth looking in your medicine cabinet. The very thing you take to solve one health problem can sometimes create another. A surprising number of common over-the-counter and prescription drugs list dry eye as a side effect because they interfere with your body's ability to produce tears.

Here are some of the most frequent offenders:

Antihistamines: Great for allergies, but they work by drying up mucus secretions everywhere—and they don't discriminate between your nose and your eyes.
Decongestants: Much like antihistamines, these can reduce fluid production all over your body.
Antidepressants and Antipsychotics: Certain classes of these medications can disrupt the nerve signals that stimulate your tear glands.
Blood Pressure Medications: Diuretics, in particular, are designed to flush excess fluid from the body, which can contribute to overall dehydration and, you guessed it, drier eyes.

While these internal factors can feel complicated, just knowing they exist is a huge step. A great starting point for supporting your internal health is good nutrition. For example, certain foods can help bolster your body’s ability to keep your eyes healthy and hydrated. Check out our guide on 6 great foods for healthy eyes to see how your diet can play a supportive role.

Lifestyle and Environmental Triggers You Can Control

While many causes of dry eye start inside your body, the world around you plays a huge role in how your eyes feel day-to-day. Your environment and daily habits can either soothe your eyes or act as constant agitators, creating a perfect storm for irritation and discomfort.

Think of the delicate tear film on your eye's surface like a shallow puddle on a calm day. Now, imagine a constant, gentle breeze blowing across it. That breeze is your environment, and it can make that puddle disappear in no time. This is exactly what happens to your tears when you're exposed to certain conditions.

These external factors don't just add to the problem; they actively speed up tear evaporation, leaving your eyes feeling gritty and exposed. The good news? These are often the triggers you have the most power to change.

The Impact of Your Surroundings

Your immediate environment is one of the biggest external factors determining your eye comfort. Low humidity is a major culprit, as dry air essentially pulls moisture directly from the surface of your eyes. This is why symptoms can feel so much worse in specific situations.

Common environmental triggers include:

Dry Climates: Living in an arid or high-altitude region means the air naturally holds less moisture.
Windy Conditions: Wind acts like a hairdryer for your eyes, dramatically increasing the rate of tear evaporation.
Indoor Climate Control: Central heating in the winter and air conditioning in the summer are notorious for stripping humidity from the air.
Airborne Irritants: Smoke, dust, and pollen can all disrupt the tear film and cause inflammation.

Managing your indoor air quality is a simple yet powerful step. Using a humidifier, especially in your bedroom or office, can add much-needed moisture back into the air, creating a more eye-friendly environment and offering significant relief.

On top of that, common household factors like pet dander and allergies are significant contributors to eye irritation and dry eye symptoms, making it important to understand how to manage those triggers in your home.

How Daily Habits Affect Your Eyes

Beyond the air you breathe, the choices you make every day can either protect your eyes or make them more vulnerable to dryness. These lifestyle habits often become so routine that we don't even realize they're contributing to our discomfort.

One of the most common culprits is prolonged contact lens wear. While contacts are a fantastic alternative to glasses, they sit directly on the cornea and can disrupt the natural flow and stability of your tear film. Soft contact lenses, in particular, can act like tiny sponges, absorbing the very tears your eyes produce and leading to dryness and irritation as the day wears on.

The Role of Diet and Hydration

What you put into your body is just as important as the environment you're in. Two key areas—hydration and nutrition—have a direct link to your eye health and comfort.

Simple Dehydration: Your tears are mostly water. It's a simple connection, but if you aren't drinking enough fluids, your body may reduce tear production to conserve water. This is one of the easiest yet most overlooked causes of dry eye symptoms.
Nutritional Deficiencies: A balanced diet rich in specific nutrients is essential for producing high-quality tears. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in sources like fish and flaxseed, are particularly vital. These healthy fats are thought to improve the function of the meibomian glands, helping them produce the crucial oily layer that stops your tears from evaporating too quickly.

By making small, conscious adjustments to your environment and daily routines, you can dramatically reduce the external pressures on your eyes. This empowers you to take direct control over your comfort and create a setting where your eyes can finally thrive.

How Screen Time Dries Out Your Eyes

In our day-to-day lives, one of the biggest culprits behind that gritty, tired-eye feeling isn't floating in the air—it's glowing right in front of us. The digital screens on our computers, phones, and tablets are now a primary driver of dry eye, leading to a widespread issue often called digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome.

The connection between screens and dry eyes is surprisingly straightforward. When you're absorbed in what's on your screen, your brain gets so focused that it simply forgets to tell your eyelids to blink. This isn't something you consciously control; it’s a subconscious reflex that disappears when we're engrossed in digital content.

The Blinking Problem Explained

Think of your eyelids as windshield wipers for your eyes. Every time you blink, you spread a fresh, even layer of tear film across the surface of your eye. This simple action is crucial—it cleanses, lubricates, and protects your corneas, keeping your vision clear and comfortable.

Under normal circumstances, you blink around 15 to 20 times per minute. But when you're staring at a digital screen, studies have shown that your blink rate can plummet to as few as 5 to 7 times per minute. That’s a drop of over 60%. When the “windshield wipers” aren't working as they should, dry spots form on your corneas, causing that all-too-familiar irritation, burning, and even blurry vision.

This problem is becoming incredibly common, and not just for older adults. Lifestyle is now a massive factor in dry eye symptoms, with one study of university students revealing a symptom prevalence of over 57%. This spike is tied directly to the hours we spend in front of screens, which destabilizes our tear film and turns dry eye into a digital-age epidemic. You can read more about how digital devices impact eye health on pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Blue Light and Glare: The Double Threat

It's not just about blinking less. Digital screens also bombard your eyes with two other stressors they weren't designed to handle for extended periods: high-energy blue light and relentless glare.

Blue Light Exposure: Screens emit a strong concentration of blue light, which scatters more easily than other colors of light. This scattering creates a kind of visual "noise" that lowers contrast and forces your eyes to constantly work harder just to focus, leading straight to fatigue and strain.
Screen Glare: Whether it's from an overhead light or the brightness of the screen itself, glare makes you squint and strain to see clearly. This constant tension in the muscles around your eyes can trigger headaches and makes the discomfort from dryness even worse.

Put them together, and you have a hostile environment for your eyes, pushing them into a state of constant stress that only intensifies dryness and fatigue.

A Powerful Solution for Your Digital Life

Luckily, you don't have to quit your job or give up your phone to find relief. One of the simplest and most effective strategies is to filter the harsh light from your screens before it ever hits your eyes. This is where specialized computer glasses make a world of difference.

We recommend PROSPEK glasses because they are engineered specifically to address the root causes of digital eye strain. Their advanced lenses are designed to do two critical jobs:

Filter Harmful Blue Light: PROSPEK lenses selectively block the most damaging wavelengths of blue light. This cuts down on the visual noise, improves contrast, and allows your eye muscles to finally relax.
Reduce Glare: The lenses also feature an anti-reflective coating that slashes the glare coming from your screen and other light sources. By minimizing these distracting reflections, your eyes can focus comfortably without needing to squint.

Wearing PROSPEK glasses during screen time creates a protective shield, easing the main triggers of digital eye strain and the dryness that comes with it. They are an essential tool for anyone spending serious time in front of a digital display. You can dive deeper into the science by reviewing these blue light studies and information.

Wearing blue light filtering glasses like those from PROSPEK is a proactive step toward protecting your long-term eye health. By reducing daily strain and fatigue, you help maintain better eye comfort and function in a screen-centric world.

Looking at a screen is fundamentally different from looking at the world around you. Understanding this difference makes it obvious why protective eyewear has become so important.

Digital vs Natural Viewing

Factor	Viewing a Digital Screen	Viewing the Natural World
Blink Rate	Drastically reduced (5-7 times/min)	Normal and frequent (15-20 times/min)
Light Source	Direct, high-energy blue light emission	Reflected, full-spectrum natural light
Focus Demand	Fixed distance, pixelated images	Varied distances, natural objects
Glare	High potential from screen and lighting	Generally lower and more diffused

This comparison makes it crystal clear: our eyes just weren't built for the unique demands of digital displays. By recognizing this and using tools like PROSPEK glasses, you can fight back against the dryness and strain of our modern, screen-filled lives and get back to working and playing online in comfort.

Practical Strategies for Managing Dry Eyes

Knowing what causes dry eye is one thing, but finding real, lasting relief is the ultimate goal. The good news is there's a whole toolbox of effective strategies out there to help you manage symptoms, bring back comfort, and reclaim your eye health. The best part? The path to relief often starts with simple habits you can weave into your everyday life.

From small tweaks to your environment to grabbing the right solution off the shelf, these practical tips are the bedrock of any solid dry eye management plan. Think of them as your personal first-aid kit for soothing that nagging irritation.

Building Better Habits at Home

You might be surprised to learn that many of the most powerful dry eye solutions don't even require a trip to the pharmacy. They’re all about making conscious changes to your surroundings and daily routines to give your eyes a break. These little adjustments can make a huge difference over time.

One of the simplest yet most impactful changes is adding a little moisture back into the air. Running a humidifier in your home or office—especially during those bone-dry winter months or in blasting A/C—creates a friendlier environment for your eyes by slowing down tear evaporation. It’s a small step that can bring big relief, particularly overnight.

And if you’re someone who stares at a screen all day, taking proactive breaks is absolutely non-negotiable.

The 20-20-20 rule is a lifesaver for digital eye strain. Every 20 minutes, just look away from your screen at an object 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This simple exercise lets your eye muscles relax and, just as importantly, reminds you to blink.

Finally, for anyone dealing with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), a warm compress can feel like a miracle. Just apply a warm, damp cloth over your closed eyelids for a few minutes. This helps melt the stubborn, clogged oils in your glands, allowing them to flow freely again and restore that crucial protective layer to your tear film.

Navigating Over-the-Counter Solutions

When home habits alone don't cut it, the eye care aisle has your back. The go-to solution for most people is artificial tears, but it's crucial to know that not all eye drops are created equal. Figuring out the differences is the key to finding what works for you.

Drops for Dryness: These are your standard lubricating drops. They give your natural tears a boost, offering temporary relief from that general gritty, dry feeling.
Gel-Based Drops: These are thicker and provide longer-lasting moisture, which makes them great for moderate to severe dryness or for using right before you go to sleep.
Lipid-Based Drops: If your problem is evaporative dry eye (often from MGD), these are for you. They contain oils that help stabilize the tear film and lock in moisture.

It’s also smart to look for preservative-free drops if you find yourself reaching for them more than four times a day, as preservatives can cause more irritation with frequent use. Beyond drops, specialized eyewear can make a world of difference. For example, finding the best computer glasses for eye strain can dramatically cut down on the dryness and fatigue that comes from staring at screens. We highly recommend PROSPEK glasses for this purpose.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you've tried the lifestyle changes and over-the-counter options and you're still not getting enough relief, it's time to check in with an eye doctor. They have access to more advanced treatments that can get to the root cause of your dry eye.

These professional interventions might include:

Prescription Medications: Your doctor can prescribe drops that go beyond simple lubrication. Some, like cyclosporine (Restasis) or lifitegrast (Xiidra), work by targeting the underlying inflammation that drives chronic dry eye. Over time, they help your body produce more of its own high-quality tears.
In-Office Procedures: For stubborn MGD, an optometrist or ophthalmologist might suggest a procedure to clear out those blocked glands. Treatments like LipiFlow use a combination of gentle heat and massage on the eyelids to effectively remove blockages and get the oils flowing normally again.

By starting with simple habits and moving on to more advanced solutions if needed, you can build a comprehensive plan to get your symptoms under control. The key is to work with your eye care professional to find the perfect mix of strategies for clear, comfortable vision.

Common Questions About Dry Eye Causes

After digging into all the different things that can lead to dry eye, it's totally normal to still have some questions floating around. Figuring out what causes dry eyes is all about connecting the dots between your body, your environment, and your daily routine. Let's tackle some of the most common questions to clear things up.

Getting a handle on these key points will build on what you already know and give you a much clearer picture of this frustratingly common condition.

Can Dry Eyes Cause Permanent Vision Damage?

For most people, dry eye is an issue of comfort—that gritty, burning feeling we all know too well. While it’s definitely a nuisance, it doesn't typically lead to permanent vision loss. That said, you absolutely shouldn't ignore severe symptoms.

In rare, more serious cases, chronic and untreated dry eye can cause bigger problems. When your tear film is severely compromised, it leaves the cornea (the clear front surface of your eye) exposed and vulnerable. This can lead to inflammation, corneal abrasions, or even ulcers that could potentially harm your vision.

The real takeaway here is that being proactive is everything. For the vast majority of people, consistent care like using lubricating drops, managing screen time, and seeing an eye doctor will keep any long-term issues at bay.

Does Drinking More Water Help With Dry Eyes?

Yes, it really does. It might sound a bit too simple, but proper hydration is one of the cornerstones of healthy tear production. Your tears are made mostly of water, so if your body is dehydrated, it’s going to hang onto every drop of fluid it has—and that means less for your eyes.

Think of it like this: your body can't make tears out of thin air. If you're not drinking enough water, your tear glands simply don't have the raw materials they need to keep your eyes properly lubricated.

Now, chugging water alone probably won't cure a chronic dry eye condition caused by other issues like MGD or an autoimmune disease. But it's an incredibly important first step that supports everything else you're doing.

Are Some People More Prone To Dry Eyes Than Others?

Definitely. Your personal risk for developing dry eyes isn't just bad luck; it's a mix of your biology, genetics, and how you live your life. Some groups are just more likely to deal with it.

Several factors can really ramp up your risk:

Age: Our tear production naturally starts to slow down after age 50, making it one of the most common risk factors out there.
Gender: Women are more susceptible to dry eyes, largely due to the hormonal shifts that come with pregnancy, birth control pills, and menopause.
Medical Conditions: Autoimmune diseases like Sjögren's syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis are known to directly interfere with tear production.
Past Surgeries: Procedures like LASIK can sometimes cause temporary or even chronic dry eye symptoms as a side effect.
Contact Lens Wear: Wearing contacts every day can mess with the stability of your natural tear film.
Digital Device Use: This is a big one. Staring at screens for hours on end dramatically reduces how often you blink. To combat this modern-day cause of dry eye, wearing protective eyewear like PROSPEK glasses can make a huge difference by filtering harsh blue light and easing the strain that leads to dryness.

Understanding these risk factors helps you see the "why" behind what causes dry eyes on a personal level, putting you in a much better position to find relief that actually works.

If you spend your days in front of a screen, protecting your eyes from digital strain is one of the smartest moves you can make to fight dryness. Spektrum Glasses offers scientifically designed blue light blocking glasses that reduce eye fatigue and boost comfort, so you can work and play without the painful side effects. Find your perfect pair at https://www.spektrumglasses.com.

Back to blog