What Causes Dry Eyes & How Can You Fix It? Eye Doctors Weigh In

Anyone who's ever stared at a laptop all day and into the night can likely rattle off the symptoms of dry eyes—soreness, grittiness, redness, itchiness, blurriness, and for contact wearers, lenses that feel literally glued to the eyeball. While there are a number of culprits that can lead to dry eye, an often-overlooked issue tends to be one of the biggest triggers.

Think of it as death by a thousand cuts. Little by little, all sorts of bad habits contribute to a real issue. "Dry-eye disease is a multifactorial, chronic, and progressive condition that if left untreated can significantly affect a patient's quality of vision," says Kambiz Silani, O.D., chief clinical director of Beverly Hills Optometry. It's characterized by one or more of all those symptoms too many of us have experienced:

What's more, "in later stages, a patient may develop intolerable levels of light sensitivity, vision fluctuation, corneal damage, ocular surface inflammation, and eye pain," says Silani. 

Clearly, dry eye disease is more than just uncomfortable. But there is good news. Identifying lifestyle and environmental aggravators is a step in the right direction, and pairing that information with a few key remedies and best practices can help relieve symptoms of dry eye. "A combination of treatments is typically what I recommend to my patients," notes Ellement. "Most people who suffer from dry eye have had it for so long that it's no longer only the result of one factor." With that in mind, a well-rounded approach to eye care can be most effective for relieving symptoms of dry eye:

Incomplete blinking is another issue associated with screen time, so try building in regular short breaks for this exercise:

This is quick and easy, so make a point of doing it at least three to four times a day, especially if you're on a screen.

"The length of treatment and the amount of heat applied for warm-compress treatment is the key factor in its effectiveness," says Ellement. She explains that warm compresses need to be applied for at least 10 minutes, and the compress needs to stay warm the whole time. Eye masks like this one make it easy.

Your favorite makeup tricks might be problematic, too. "Makeup can be a big factor in meibomian gland obstruction, particularly for people who apply makeup on the waterline." That's because they can't properly release lipids into the tear film when they're covered in makeup.

One option is Avenova, a solution made with 0.01% hypochlorous acid, which is produced naturally in the body and clinically proven to kill bacteria and relieve a number of chronic eye conditions, including dry eye. "Avenova restores the natural homeostasis of the eyes by reducing the bacterial load without altering the diversity of bacterial species on the skin," says Silani. Incorporating a simple spray-and-swipe solution like this, morning and night, may offer some much-needed relief.

There are a number of reasons you may be routinely dealing with dry eye, but relief isn't far away. Addressing the triggers that can lead to bacterial overgrowth, as well as that overgrowth itself, really can make all the difference.