Dry eyes

Check if you have dry eyes

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, Sjogren's syndrome or lupus

How to treat dry eyes yourself

See an optician or GP if:

• you still have dry eyes after trying home treatments for a few weeks
• there is 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 can't find a cause, they may refer you to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) for tests.

Find an optician