Dry eye FAQs

There is no cure for dry eye, but there are a number of treatments available – e.g. artificial lubricants, warm compresses, omega-3 supplements, maintaining lid hygiene and medications. It may take a bit of experimentation to find the right option for you.

At times your condition will improve and you may be tempted to discontinue treatment. However, dry eye is a chronic condition and it’s important to continue treatment, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

Yes, keep using lubrication as directed by your doctor. However, make sure that you only use a product recommended by your doctor, as some eye preparations can make dry eye worse.

Mask-associated dry eye (MADE) has become common during the COVID-19 pandemic. When air vents from the top of your mask and across the surface of your eyes, it causes your tear fluid to evaporate more quickly, causing (or worsening) dry eye.

A properly fitted mask forces air to vent downwards, away from your eyes. Wearing a mask with nose wire that can be shaped to fit firmly across the bridge of your nose, or taping down the top of your mask with skin-friendly tape, can help. Additionally, try to blink more often while you wear your mask, as this distributes tear fluid across your eye.

Using dry eye treatments, such as lubricating eye drops (artificial tears), warm compresses or heated eye masks, can also help you manage MADE. If your symptoms persist or are severe, consult your optometrist, who can prescribe medications to help.

If wearing contact lenses has become uncomfortable due to MADE, consult your optometrist for alternative contact lens options.

Getting plenty of good quality sleep, eating a healthy diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, and getting enough exercise can all reduce the risk of dry eye disease.

Dry eye can also be caused by Digital Eye Strain, a condition which describes various eye- and vision-related problems that can arise from overusing screens.

To prevent Digital Eye Strain, you can minimise your use of screens wherever possible, take care to blink often when looking at screens, and follow the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet, or 6 metres, away). Making changes to your work setup may also help.

For more information about Digital Eye Strain, including tips to prevent it, read our fact sheet.

Using contact lenses may increase the risk of developing dry eye or worsen existing dry eye disease. Contact lenses are thought to influence the development of dry eye disease by disrupting the stability and function of the tear film – the layers of tears and oil that keep the surface of the eye lubricated.²

Here are some tips that may help to reduce dry eye symptoms:

• Switch to daily disposable contact lenses
• Observe good contact lens hygiene, including washing and carefully drying your hands with a clean cloth before touching your lenses, not allowing water to touch your lenses, and making sure storage cases are thoroughly cleaned and replaced regularly
• Use lubricating eye drops (ask your optometrist or pharmacist which over-the-counter options are safe to use with contact lenses)
• Try applying warm compresses to your closed eyelids
• Follow eyelid hygiene practices
• Reduce Digital Eye Strain.

Medications may sometimes be prescribed to improve the symptoms of dry eye. For specific advice, consult your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Yes, dry eye can cause blurred vision. A healthy tear film – the layers of tears and oil that lubricate the surface of your eyes – allows you to see clearly. When the tear film is disrupted by dry eye, vision may become blurred.

However, other health conditions can also cause blurred vision, so it is best to consult your optometrist or ophthalmologist for advice, especially if symptoms do not improve after using lubricating eye drops.

Double vision is not a common symptom of dry eye disease.

If you are experiencing double vision, please consult your GP or optometrist as soon as possible, especially if the symptom is new.

While dry eye disease does not usually cause headaches, certain conditions may cause both dry eye disease and headaches. A common example is Digital Eye Strain, a condition caused by the overuse of screens.

In addition, there may be a link between migraine and dry eye, with research indicating that migraine sufferers are more likely to have dry eye disease.³ However, further research is required to fully understand the link between these two conditions.

There is no evidence that dry eye disease causes floaters (which are spots, transparent blobs or tiny worm-like shapes that drift through your visual field).

Although most floaters are not a cause for concern, in rare cases new floaters can be caused by a serious medical condition. If there is a sudden increase in the number of floaters, or you have other visual symptoms such as flashes or a ‘curtain’ coming down over your field of vision, these could indicate retinal damage. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

People with dry eye disease sometimes worry that continued use of eye drops will cause their eyes to become dependent on the drops.

Overusing vasoconstricting eye drops (red eye-reducing drops) may cause a side-effect called rebound hyperaemia, in which the blood vessels in the eye dilate, making it appear more red. Rebound hyperaemia may cause dependence on these eye drops.

Lubricant eye drops, on the other hand, are generally safe to use long-term and can be an important part of a dry eye management plan.

However, if you have been using over-the-counter lubricant eye drops several times per day for two or more weeks and haven’t already consulted your optometrist, make an appointment. Your optometrist may suggest alternative treatment options or refer you to an ophthalmologist if necessary.

Dry eye disease is very common in women aged 50 years and older. Research suggests a link between the hormonal changes of menopause and dry eye disease,⁴ but further investigation is needed.

Sex hormones such as oestrogen play a role in the stability of the cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye), by influencing factors such as tear production, the health of the cells lining the cornea and the nerves behind it, as well as the function of the immune system of the eye.

The decline in the level of sex hormones in menopausal and post-menopausal women may therefore increase the risk of dry eye disease.