Dry Eye
Burning or gritty eyes, blurry vision that comes and goes, or tired eyes by the end of a long screen day? It's often dry eye, a common condition where your eyes don't make enough tears or the tears don't last, and it can affect people at any age. At Dr. Della Chow, we find out what's driving your symptoms, check your overall eye health, and build a treatment plan that fits your life.
Dry Eye: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment
Your eyes rely on a thin layer of tears to stay comfortable, clear, and protected every time you blink. When that tear film breaks down — whether there isn’t enough of it or it evaporates too quickly — the result is dry eye: a gritty, burning, or tired feeling that can make screens, wind, and even reading uncomfortable. Dr. Della Chow — a trusted optometrist in Kitsilano — helps patients pinpoint exactly what’s causing their dry eye and find lasting relief.
TL;DR: Dry eye happens when your eyes don’t make enough tears or the tears you make evaporate too fast, causing grittiness, burning, and sometimes blurry vision. It’s treatable once you know your type, with artificial tears, warm compresses, lid hygiene or prescription drops, and a referral when more is needed.
What Is Dry Eye?
Dry eye (also called dry eye syndrome or dry eye disease) happens when your eyes don’t produce enough tears, or when the tears you do produce aren’t good quality and evaporate too fast. Either way, your eye’s surface doesn’t stay properly lubricated, which leads to irritation, inflammation, and sometimes surprisingly blurry vision. There are two main types, and many people have a mix of both.
| Type | What’s Happening | Common Triggers |
|---|---|---|
| Evaporative | Tear glands don’t release enough oil, so tears evaporate too fast | Screen time, reduced blinking, meibomian gland dysfunction |
| Aqueous-Deficient | Eyes don’t make enough of the watery component of tears | Aging, certain medications, autoimmune conditions |
What Causes Dry Eye — and Who’s at Risk?
Dry eye can be triggered or worsened by a long list of everyday and medical factors:
- Extended screen time (reduced blink rate)
- Contact lens wear — see our guide on choosing contact lenses when you have dry eyes
- Aging, especially after menopause
- Dry, windy, or air-conditioned/heated environments
- Certain medications (antihistamines, some antidepressants, blood pressure medication)
- Autoimmune conditions like Sjögren’s syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis
- Previous eye surgery (including LASIK)
- Seasonal allergies, which can look a lot like dry eye (see Dry Eye vs. Allergies: How to Tell the Difference)
- Vitamin A deficiency and certain dietary factors
Because dry eye has so many possible causes, a proper diagnosis matters — treating the wrong cause rarely brings lasting relief.
What Are the Symptoms of Dry Eye?
Dry eye symptoms can range from mildly annoying to genuinely disruptive:
- A gritty, sandy, or foreign-body sensation
- Burning or stinging
- Redness
- Sensitivity to light
- Stringy mucus in or around the eyes
- Watery eyes (a reflex response to irritation)
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses comfortably
- Blurry vision that improves with blinking (see Can Dry Eye Cause Blurry Vision?)
- Eye fatigue, especially after screen use or reading
How Is Dry Eye Diagnosed?
Dry eye is diagnosed through a comprehensive eye exam focused on your tear film and ocular surface. At Dr. Della Chow, this may include:
- Symptom and history review: screen habits, medications, contact lens wear, and environment
- Tear film assessment: evaluating tear quantity and how quickly your tears evaporate
- Slit-lamp examination: a close look at the eyelids, meibomian glands, and the surface of the eye
- Corneal staining: a quick, painless dye test that highlights any dry patches on the eye’s surface
How Is Dry Eye Treated?
Mild to Moderate Dry Eye
- Artificial tears and lubricating eye drops (preservative-free options are often gentler for frequent use)
- Warm compresses and eyelid hygiene
- Adjusting screen habits — regular breaks and more deliberate blinking
- Switching to contact lenses better suited to dry eyes, or adjusting wear time
Persistent or Advanced Dry Eye
- Prescription anti-inflammatory drops
- If meibomian gland dysfunction (blocked oil glands) is contributing to your dry eye, we diagnose that here and refer you for in-office gland treatment or imaging when it’s needed — see our meibomian gland dysfunction page
- Managing any underlying condition contributing to the dryness
As your optometrist, Dr. Della Chow will walk you through which combination makes sense for your specific symptoms — there’s no need to work through trial-and-error alone with a shelf full of drops.
Living With Dry Eye Day to Day
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule during screen work: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds
- Use a humidifier in dry indoor air, especially during Vancouver’s heating season
- Stay hydrated and consider omega-3-rich foods
- Wear wraparound sunglasses on windy days
- Remove eye makeup thoroughly each night
If symptoms flare up suddenly or feel more severe than usual, our same-day eye care in Kitsilano is available so you’re not stuck waiting in discomfort.
Don’t Let Dry Eye Run Your Day
Dry eye is common, but “common” doesn’t mean you have to just live with it. With the right diagnosis and a treatment plan built around your specific triggers, lasting relief is very achievable.
If your eyes feel gritty, tired, or uncomfortable more days than not, our team at Dr. Della Chow in Kitsilano is here to help you find out why — and fix it.
This article is for general education and is not a substitute for a professional eye examination or personalised medical advice. If you have concerns about your eyes or vision, book an appointment with your optometrist.
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers
What is dry eye?
Dry eye is a condition where your eyes don’t produce enough tears, or the tears you produce aren’t stable enough to keep the eye’s surface properly lubricated. It leads to irritation, redness, and sometimes blurry vision.
What causes dry eye?
Common causes include extended screen time, contact lens wear, aging, certain medications, dry or windy environments, and underlying health conditions like autoimmune disease.
What does dry eye feel like?
Most people describe a gritty or sandy sensation, burning, stinging, or a general feeling of eye fatigue, sometimes with watery eyes as a reflex response.
Is dry eye dangerous?
Mild dry eye is uncomfortable but not usually dangerous. Left untreated, more severe or chronic dry eye can lead to surface damage and increased risk of eye infection, which is why persistent symptoms deserve an exam.
How is dry eye disease treated?
Treatment ranges from artificial tears and warm compresses for mild cases to prescription anti-inflammatory drops for more persistent dry eye. If meibomian gland dysfunction is contributing, we diagnose it here and refer you for in-office gland treatment when it’s needed. The right plan depends on your specific cause.
What are the best eye drops for dry eyes?
It depends on your type of dry eye. Preservative-free artificial tears work well for many people, but the best drop for evaporative dry eye is often different from what helps aqueous-deficient dry eye. An optometrist can recommend the right formulation after an exam rather than guessing off the shelf.