It is estimated that around one in every three people in the UK experience some degree of dry eye. Men and women of all ages can be affected, and the condition is increasingly being described as a modern-day ocular epidemic.
Dry eye has been linked to lifestyle factors such as prolonged screen use, air conditioning, and centrally heated environments, making many of its triggers difficult to avoid. According to Dry Eye Zone® experts, dry eye can also be challenging to diagnose because both its causes and symptoms can vary significantly from person to person.
To help you recognise the signs, the Dry Eye Zone® team has identified some of the most commonly reported symptoms. The frequency and severity of these symptoms can differ between individuals and often become more noticeable as this progressive chronic eye disease progresses. Some of the signs may surprise you.
1. Dry, Gritty or Sandy Eyes
As the name suggests, dry eye occurs when the surface of the eye becomes inadequately lubricated due to a reduction in either the quantity or quality of your natural tears, known as the tear film.
Many people describe the sensation as feeling dry, sandy, or gritty, while others say it feels as though there is something trapped in the eye causing irritation. This is often one of the earliest and most recognisable symptoms of dry eye.
2. Burning, Stinging or Painful Eyes
For some people, dry eye symptoms can be more intense. Rather than simply feeling dry, the eyes may sting, burn, or become noticeably uncomfortable.
These symptoms are often accompanied by redness and irritation, and in more advanced cases may even cause pain.
It is important to remember that pain in or around the eyes can also be a symptom of other, potentially more serious eye conditions. If you experience significant eye pain, you should seek advice from an eye care professional promptly.
3. Watery Eyes
Perhaps the most surprising symptom of dry eye can be excessive watering, also known as epiphora.
Although it seems counterintuitive, dry eyes often respond to irritation by producing an excess of the watery component of the tear film. Unfortunately, these reflex tears lack the oils and other essential components needed to keep the eyes comfortably lubricated. As a result, they quickly drain away, leaving the eyes feeling dry and irritated once again.
4. Blurred Vision
Dry eye can also affect the quality of your vision. The blurring associated with dry eye is usually temporary and often improves after blinking, which spreads a fresh layer of tears across the eye's surface. In fact, the need to blink frequently can itself be a sign of dry eye.
A healthy tear film creates a smooth optical surface that helps focus light accurately. When the tear film becomes unstable, that smooth surface is disrupted, causing light to scatter and vision to appear blurred. This is particularly noticeable when reading, using a computer, or focusing on detailed tasks.
This fluctuation in vision can be frustrating for both patients and eye care professionals, especially when determining the most accurate prescription for glasses, contact lenses or intraocular lenses for cataract surgery. In some cases, it may be necessary to improve the health of the tear film before a final prescription can be confirmed.
5. Light Sensitivity
Increased sensitivity to light, glare, or bright environments can also be a sign of dry eye. Some people notice discomfort in brightly lit rooms, while others experience increased glare from headlights or halos around lights at night.
Research has shown that light sensitivity, known as photophobia, is common among people with dry eye disease. In one study, 75% of participants with dry eye reported experiencing eye discomfort or irritation when exposed to light.
While sunglasses do not address the underlying cause of dry eye, many sufferers find that wearing them outdoors—and occasionally indoors in particularly bright environments—can help improve comfort.
When Should You Seek Advice?
This list does not cover every possible symptom of dry eye, but it does include many of the most common signs.
It is also important to remember that in the early stages, symptoms may be mild and occur only occasionally. However, if left unmanaged, both the frequency and severity of symptoms can increase over time. This is why eye care professionals encourage patients to mention symptoms as early as possible.
If you recognise one or more of these symptoms, be sure to discuss them with your eye care professional. If your next routine eye examination is still some time away, it may be worth booking a dedicated dry eye consultation to assess the health of your tear film and ocular surface.
Make sure you explore the many links in this blog to bring more depth to the subjects touched on here and to help give you a fuller knowledge of all things dry eye related.
You can learn more about all things dry eye related at the DRY EYE ZONE. Don’t forget to subscribe to the regular free information and research updates.
If you are experiencing dry eye symptoms then you should ask the advice of your eye care professional. Why not book your next eye examination with an independent optician today.
Sources:
Vidal-Rohr M, Craig JP, Davies LN, Wolffsohn JS. The epidemiology of dry eye disease in the UK: The Aston dry eye study. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2023 Jun;46(3):101837. doi: 10.1016/j.clae.2023.101837. Epub 2023 Mar 30. PMID: 37003925.
Golden MI, Meyer JJ, Zeppieri M, et al. Dry Eye Syndrome. [Updated 2024 Feb 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470411/. Accessed 8 June 2026.
Jeremy Chung Bo Chiang, James S. Wolffsohn, Perspectives of dry eye patients in the United Kingdom on risk factors and desired treatment outcomes, Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, Volume 48, Issue 2, 2025, 102340, ISSN 1367-0484,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2024.102340.
Hossain P, Siffel C, Joseph C, et al Patient-reported burden of dry eye disease in the UK: a cross-sectional web-based survey BMJ Open 2021;11:e039209. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039209
Lixi, F., Coco, G., Corda, C. et al. Light discomfort thresholds under different lighting conditions in healthy subjects and dry eye patients. Sci Rep 15, 29213 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15633-1
Galor A, Levitt RC, Felix ER, Sarantopoulos CD. What can photophobia tell us about dry eye? Expert Rev Ophthalmol. 2016;11(5):321-324. doi: 10.1080/17469899.2016.1222905. Epub 2016 Aug 23. PMID: 28845186; PMCID: PMC5571866.
