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Ophthalmology · Ocular Surface
Dry Eye Disease
Expert diagnosis and lasting relief for gritty, irritated, tired eyes
Dry eye disease is one of the most common eye conditions — and one of the most under-treated. It happens when your eyes don't make enough tears, or the tears you make are poor quality and evaporate too quickly. The result is a tear film that no longer protects the surface of the eye, leading to irritation, blurred vision and discomfort. With the right diagnosis and a tailored plan, it's also very treatable.
Common & chronicbut very manageable
Consultant-ledexpert ocular-surface care
Tear-film diagnosticsfind the true cause
Tailored treatmentbuilt around you
What is dry eye disease?
A healthy tear film has three layers — an outer oil layer that stops tears evaporating, a middle watery layer that cleans and nourishes, and an inner mucin layer that helps tears stick to the eye. When any layer is disrupted, the tear film becomes unstable, the surface dries and inflames, and a frustrating cycle of irritation begins. There are two main types — and many people have a mix of both.
Evaporative (MGD)The most common type. The tears evaporate too quickly, usually because the tiny oil glands in your eyelids (the Meibomian glands) become blocked or dysfunctional — a condition called Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD).
Aqueous-deficientThe eyes simply don't produce enough tears, often linked to age, hormonal changes or underlying conditions affecting the tear-producing glands.
Symptoms to look out for
Dry eye can show up in surprising ways — including watery eyes. If any of these sound familiar, an assessment can pinpoint the cause.
Gritty, sandy feeling
Burning or stinging
Redness
Watery eyes
Blurred or fluctuating vision
Tired, heavy eyes
Sensitivity to light
Discomfort with screens or lenses
Common causes & risk factors
Dry eye usually has more than one contributing factor. Understanding yours is the key to effective, lasting treatment.
Increasing age
Hormonal changes (e.g. menopause)
Prolonged screen use
Contact lens wear
Dry, windy or air-conditioned air
Meibomian gland dysfunction / blepharitis
Certain medications
Underlying conditions (e.g. Sjögren's, thyroid)
Previous laser eye surgery
How we diagnose dry eye
A proper diagnosis looks beyond the symptoms to find the underlying cause — so treatment targets the real problem, not just the discomfort.
✓A discussion of your symptoms and lifestyle, often using a short symptom questionnaire
✓Slit-lamp examination of your eyelids, tear film and the surface of the eye
✓Tear break-up time and tear-volume assessment to measure tear quality and quantity
✓Ocular surface staining to reveal any dryness-related surface damage
✓Meibomian gland evaluation (with imaging where available) to check the oil glands
Treatment options
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Your consultant builds a personalised plan, usually starting with the simplest effective measures and stepping up as needed.
Everyday self-careSimple habit changes make a real difference — regular blink breaks and the 20-20-20 screen rule, staying hydrated, an omega-3-rich diet, humidifiers and reducing draughts.
Lubricant tear replacementPreservative-free artificial tears, gels and ointments soothe and protect the surface of the eye and ease day-to-day symptoms.
Lid care for MGDWarm compresses, lid hygiene and gentle gland expression help unblock the Meibomian glands and restore a healthy, protective oil layer to your tears.
Advanced in-clinic treatmentsWhere appropriate, treatments such as intense pulsed light (IPL) and thermal pulsation target the underlying gland dysfunction for longer-lasting relief.
Prescription treatmentsAnti-inflammatory eye drops may be prescribed and monitored by your clinician to calm inflammation and break the dry-eye cycle.
Punctal plugsTiny, reversible plugs placed in the tear ducts help retain your natural tears on the eye for longer.
Treating dry eye matters for more than comfort. Left unmanaged it can affect your vision and quality of life, make contact lenses harder to wear, and even influence the accuracy of cataract surgery measurements — which is why we often optimise the ocular surface beforehand.
Dry eye FAQs
Is dry eye disease curable?
For most people, dry eye is a long-term (chronic) condition that's managed rather than cured. The good news is that with the right, personalised plan, symptoms can be well controlled and the surface of your eye protected — many people get excellent, lasting relief.
Why do my eyes water if they're “dry”?
It feels counter-intuitive, but watery eyes are a classic sign of dry eye. When the surface is irritated, the eye produces a flood of poor-quality reflex tears that don't coat or protect it properly — so the underlying dryness continues.
Can screens really cause dry eye?
Yes. We blink far less when concentrating on screens, which lets the tear film dry out. The 20-20-20 rule — every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds — and conscious blinking both help.
Is dry eye linked to the menopause?
It can be. Hormonal changes around the menopause are a recognised contributor to dry eye, which is one reason it becomes more common with age. If this applies to you, our wider women's-health team can help too.
Will I need to use drops forever?
Many people use lubricating drops long-term for comfort, but treating the underlying cause — such as Meibomian gland dysfunction — can reduce how much you rely on them over time.
Does dry eye affect cataract or laser surgery?
Yes — a healthy, stable tear film improves the accuracy of pre-surgery measurements and supports a smoother recovery and clearer result. That's why we often optimise dry eye before cataract or refractive surgery.
Get lasting relief from dry eye
If gritty, burning, watery or tired eyes are affecting your day, a consultant-led assessment can find the cause and the right treatment for you.
Book a consultation Contact the teamThis page provides general information about dry eye disease and is not personal medical advice. Diagnosis and treatment — including any prescription medicines or in-clinic procedures — are provided where clinically appropriate following a consultant assessment. If you have sudden eye pain, marked redness or a change in vision, seek prompt medical attention.