Dry eyes | NICS Well

Many people get dry eyes. It's not usually serious and there are things you can do to help.

You may have dry eyes if your eyes are:

itchy
sore
gritty
red
blurry
sensitive to light
more watery than normal

Causes of dry eyes

You may be more likely to get dry eyes if:

you're over the age of 50
you wear contact lenses
you look at computer screens for a long time without a break
you spend time in air conditioned or heated environments
it's windy, cold, dry or dusty
you smoke or drink alcohol
you take certain medicines (for example, some antidepressants or blood pressure drugs)
you have a condition, such as blepharitis, Sjögren's syndrome or lupus

Do

keep your eyes clean
take breaks to rest your eyes when using a computer screen
make sure your computer screen is at eye level so you do not strain your eyes
use a humidifier to stop the air getting dry
get plenty of sleep to rest your eyes
if you wear contact lenses, take them out and wear glasses to rest your eyes

Don't

do not smoke or drink too much alcohol
do not spend too long in smoky, dry or dusty places
do not spend too long in air conditioned or heated rooms
do not stop taking a prescribed medicine without getting medical advice first – even if you think it's causing your symptoms

A pharmacist may be able to tell you:

what you can do to treat it yourself – such as cleaning and protecting your eyes
if you can buy anything to help – such as eye drops, gels, ointments or allergy medicines
if you need to see an optician or GP

See an optician or GP if:

you still have dry eyes after trying home treatments for a few weeks
there's any change in the shape of your eyelids

They can check what the cause might be and recommend treatment for it.

If an optician or GP cannot find a cause, they may refer you to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) for tests.

Find an optician

Ask for an urgent appointment if:

you have any changes to your vision, such as loss of vision

Page last reviewed: Fri Dec 2021 Next review due: Fri Dec 2021