If your eyes often feel gritty, sore or tired, you're far from alone. Dry eye affects an estimated 350 million people worldwide, and it's one of the most common problems we see at Arthur Hayes Eyecare in Crowborough. The good news is that it can usually be managed, and understanding what's going on is the first step.
What does dry eye feel like?
Dry eye doesn't always feel “dry”. The NHS lists symptoms including eyes that are:
Itchy, sore or gritty
Red
Blurry, especially later in the day
Sensitive to light
More watery than normal
Watery eyes surprise many people. When the tear film isn't working well, the eye can produce extra reflex tears, but these don't protect the surface properly.
Why does it happen?
Your tear film has three layers: a mucus layer that helps tears stick to the eye, a watery middle layer, and a thin layer of oil on top that stops tears from evaporating.
Dry eye happens when your eyes don't make enough tears, or when tears evaporate too quickly. The second type, evaporative dry eye, is the more common. Its main cause is meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), where the tiny oil glands along the edges of your eyelids become blocked or produce poor-quality oil.
Things that can make dry eye worse include:
Long hours on screens, when we blink less
Central heating, air conditioning, wind and smoke
Contact lens wear
Getting older, and hormonal changes such as the menopause
Some medicines, including certain antidepressants and blood pressure tablets
Eyelid conditions such as blepharitis
What you can do at home
For mild symptoms, simple daily habits can make a real difference:
Use a warm compress. Hold a warm (not hot) compress or heated eye bag over closed eyelids for 5 to 10 minutes. This softens the oil in the glands.
Massage and clean your lids. After the compress, gently massage your eyelids towards the lashes, then clean along the lash line.
Use lubricating drops. Your optician or pharmacist can recommend suitable drops. Preservative-free drops are often better if you use them often.
Take screen breaks. Look away from the screen regularly and make a point of blinking fully.
Protect your eyes. Wraparound glasses help on windy days, and keep warm air from blowing towards your face.
If you take medication that you think is affecting your eyes, speak to your GP before making any changes.
When to see an optometrist
Book an appointment if your eyes are still uncomfortable after a few weeks of home care, if symptoms affect your daily life, or if you wear contact lenses and your eyes feel worse.
Seek help promptly if you have very painful or red eyes, extreme sensitivity to light, or any change in your vision. Contact lens wearers with a red, painful eye should stop wearing their lenses and get advice quickly.
Treatments available in practice
An optometrist can examine your tear film and eyelid glands to determine what type of dry eye you have. That matters, because the right treatment depends on the cause.
Alongside drops and home care, there are now treatments that target the meibomian glands directly:
Heated eyelid treatments warm the eyelids to melt thickened oil and gently massage it out of the glands. They work on the same principle as a warm compress, but with steady, controlled heat.
Intense pulsed light (IPL) delivers gentle pulses of light to the skin below the eyes to stimulate the glands. It is usually given as a short course of sessions.
Research into IPL is still developing. A 2024 review of 13 clinical trials found that IPL probably reduces dry eye symptoms compared with a placebo. The benefit when it's added to standard care was smaller and less certain. IPL also isn't suitable for everyone, including people with darker skin tones, so an assessment comes first.
The honest picture: these treatments can help many people, especially those whose symptoms come from the eyelid glands. They work best as part of a plan that includes good daily eye care.
Get your dry eyes checked in Crowborough
If dry, gritty or tired eyes are getting you down, our team can assess your eyes and talk you through the options that suit you.
Book a dry eye appointment or call us on 01892 664826.
Disclaimer: This article is general information and not a substitute for advice from your optometrist or GP.
Arthur Hayes Eyecare is registered with the General Optical Council.