Dry eye is one of the most common reasons eyes burn, feel gritty, water, or blur on and off. These pages explain what is going on in the tear film and the eyelids, and what can be done about it. Watery eyes and eye allergy are here too, because they overlap with dry eye and are often confused with it.
Dry eye
What Is Dry Eye?
Dry eye is a problem with the tear film that coats the eye. Why it burns, blurs and even waters, the two main kinds, what brings it on, and how it is checked. With an animation of the tear film between blinks.
Blepharitis and the Eyelid Glands
Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelid edges, and blocked oil glands in the lids are the most common cause of dry eye. What it looks and feels like, how to do warm compresses and lid cleaning, and when prescription treatment helps. With an animation of lid care and drawings of the lash line, styes and chalazia.
Treating Dry Eye
What helps dry eye, step by step: changes at home, artificial tears and how to choose them, eyelid care, prescription drops such as cyclosporine and lifitegrast, punctal plugs and more. With an animation of how a punctal plug works.
Choosing Artificial Tears
Answer a few questions to see which kind of artificial tear suits you: standard or preservative-free, gel drops, or ointment at bedtime, with examples and photos.
Related problems
Watery Eyes
Why eyes water: reflex tears from a dry surface, a blocked tear drain, or a loose lower lid. With an animation of each, how the cause is found, and what fixes it.
Eye Allergy
Itchy, red, watery eyes from pollen, dust or pets: what an eye allergy is, how to tell it from dry eye and pink eye, what helps, and why allergy drops work best used every day. With an animation of the reaction.
Other topics
Glaucoma
What glaucoma is, how it is tested and followed, and what to expect from drops, laser and surgery.
Cataract
Cataract surgery from first visit to recovery, and the laser that clears a cloudy capsule afterward.
Vision Simulators
See what eye conditions do to everyday scenes, and what a glasses prescription means, on your own screen.