Dry eye and eye strain guides

Plain-English answers for dry, tired and screen-strained eyes. Every guide links to its sources and grades each remedy by the strength of the evidence.

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Dry eye, explained properly

The best place to start. What dry eye really is, why watery eyes can be a symptom, the two main types, how it’s diagnosed and which treatments the research supports.

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Dry eye relief

GuideThe best eye drops for dry eyes, by typeThere’s no single best eye drop for dry eyes. How to choose by type, when to go preservative-free, which ingredients help, and our picks for day and night.GuideWarm compresses, done properlyWhy warm compresses help evaporative dry eye, why a washcloth usually fails, the right temperature and time, and how to choose a heated eye mask.GuideEyelid mites: Demodex blepharitis explainedMost adults have microscopic mites in their eyelashes. When they overgrow, lids get itchy, red and crusty. How to spot Demodex blepharitis and what treats it.GuideDry eye treatments beyond drops, with costsPrescription dry eye drops and clinic treatments like IPL, LipiFlow and punctal plugs: how they work, the evidence, typical costs and choosing a clinic.Evidence boardWhat works for dry eye, gradedEvery common dry eye remedy, from warm compresses and omega-3 to IPL and prescription drops, graded by the strength of the research, with sources and costs.

Screens and eye strain

GuideScreen eye strain, and how to fix itTired, burning eyes after a day at a screen? What causes digital eye strain, how to set up your screen, the habits that help, and when to see an eye doctor.GuideDo blue light glasses work?A 2023 Cochrane review of 17 trials found blue light glasses probably don’t reduce screen eye strain. What the research found, and what helps instead.Free toolThe Eye Break TimerA free 20-20-20 timer that keeps running in a background tab, with desktop notifications, a sound cue and a guided 20-second break. No sign-up or install.