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Dr. Chrysoula I. Liakou MD, PhD
- Treated online: Yes, usually. Photo and video assessment, prescription when appropriate.
- Most dry eye is managed with regular artificial tears, screen-habit changes and lid care; a video consultation can often identify the pattern, the drivers and the next step on the drops ladder.
- Concentrated screen use roughly halves the blink rate, which is why dry eyes often worsen through the working day.
- Antihistamines, some antidepressants, beta-blockers, diuretics and isotretinoin can all dry the eye surface.
- If vision is disappearing or an injury is severe, call 112 immediately.
Dry, gritty, burning eyes suit online care. True eye pain, marked light sensitivity, blurred or reduced vision that blinking does not clear, a chemical splash or injury, or a painful red eye in a contact-lens wearer do not: those need same-day in-person eye care. Very dry eyes alongside a persistently dry mouth or joint pains also deserve blood tests for an underlying cause rather than drops alone.
Can dry eye syndrome be treated online?
Usually, yes. Dry eye syndrome is diagnosed largely from the story: the gritty, burning, end-of-day pattern, screen time, medicines, lens wear and age tell the doctor most of what determines treatment, and a video call plus photos can often provide enough information to start it. Severe, painful or vision-affecting dryness, and suspected underlying disease such as Sjögren's syndrome, need in-person assessment.[1]
The honest limit is measurement: an online doctor cannot stain the eye surface or measure tear break-up time the way a slit-lamp examination can. What an online consultation does well is sort the common, habit-and-environment-driven majority from the minority who need that examination, and stop the frustrating cycle of buying one random drop after another without a plan.
How an online consultation helps with dry eye
- Finding the driver, not just wetting the eye: screens, lid-gland disease, medicines, hormones and air conditioning dry eyes in different ways, and the fix differs accordingly. The consultation works out which apply to you.
- A drops plan with a ladder: watery drops, gels, ointments and preservative-free versions each have a place. You leave knowing which type, how often, and what the next step is if comfort does not improve.
- A medicines review: antihistamines, some antidepressants, beta-blockers, diuretics and isotretinoin all dry the eye surface. The doctor spots the culprits and weighs alternatives with you.
- Specialist referral when it is warranted: persistent symptoms despite proper treatment, possible Sjögren's syndrome, or any surface damage signs are referred for slit-lamp examination rather than managed on hope.
📷 Photos help less than for most eye conditions, but two are still useful: a daylight close-up of each open eye showing any redness pattern, and one of each closed lid's lash line, since blepharitis so often travels with dryness. On the video call the doctor will also watch your blink rate and completeness, which is genuinely informative for screen-related dryness.
What the doctor checks in an online dry eye consultation
The assessment is structured around pattern, drivers and red flags. In a dry eye consultation, the doctor will typically assess:
- The symptom pattern: grittiness, burning and tired eyes worsening through the day point to evaporative dryness; paradoxical watering, worse in wind and cold, is also classic dry eye rather than "too many tears".[1]
- Screen exposure: hours per day, screen height, breaks, and whether symptoms track working days, because blinking roughly halves during concentrated screen use.
- Lid disease: crusted or greasy lash lines and blocked gland openings, since meibomian gland dysfunction and blepharitis are the commonest cause of evaporative dry eye and change the treatment.[1]
- Medicines and hormones: antihistamines, tricyclic and some other antidepressants, beta-blockers, diuretics, isotretinoin and hormonal change around menopause, all recognised drying factors.[1]
- Contact-lens habits: daily hours of wear, lens type and comfort, because lenses both cause and suffer from a poor tear film.
- Systemic clues: dry mouth, joint pains or known autoimmune disease, which raise Sjögren's syndrome and warrant investigation rather than drops alone.[1]
- The red-flag screen: true pain, light sensitivity, vision change, one-sided redness or injury, all of which redirect to same-day in-person care.
Why are my eyes so dry?
Tears are a three-layer film: watery fluid for volume, an oily surface layer that stops evaporation, and mucus that helps it cling to the eye. Dry eye syndrome happens when you either make too little of the watery layer or, far more often, lose the oily layer because the lid glands that make it are blocked or inflamed, so tears evaporate too fast.[1] Age, hormonal change around menopause, screen work, dry and air-conditioned environments, contact lenses, some medicines, laser eye surgery and lid-margin disease all push in the same direction. That is why treatment rarely stops at "add water": the oily layer and the environment usually need fixing too.
Dryness also gets mistaken for other problems. Itch with sneezing points to allergy; a sticky, discharging red eye points to conjunctivitis; sore crusted lid edges point to blepharitis, which so often coexists that the doctor examines your lash-line photos as a matter of course.
How can I stop screens drying my eyes out?
Screens dry eyes mainly by suppressing blinking: concentrating on a display roughly halves your blink rate and produces more incomplete blinks, so the tear film is spread less often and less well. The practical fixes are the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, look at something about six metres (20 feet) away, or as far as the room allows, for 20 seconds), consciously completing a few full blinks each break, and positioning the screen slightly below eye level so less of the eye surface is exposed.
Then fix the air. Point car vents and desk fans away from your face, lower heating a notch, and consider a humidifier in dry, heated or air-conditioned rooms. Use your drops before long screen sessions rather than only after the eyes burn, keep lens-wearing hours honest on heavy screen days, and remember that wraparound glasses or sunglasses outdoors blunt wind, one of the most underestimated drying exposures.
Which eye drops are best for dry eyes?
There is no single best drop; there is a ladder, climbed according to how severe and how persistent the dryness is. Artificial tears are the foundation at every step, and the commonest reason they "do not work" is using them only when the eyes already hurt instead of regularly, typically four times a day or more.[1]
- Step 1, watery drops: standard artificial tears (for example hypromellose or carmellose based) used regularly, not just on demand. Cheap, safe, and effective for mild dryness once used properly.
- Step 2, gels: thicker carbomer-type gels last longer between doses, suiting moderate dryness and long screen days, at the cost of brief blurring after each dose.
- Step 3, night ointment: paraffin-based ointment at bedtime for people who wake with dry, sticky eyes; too blurring for daytime use.
- Preservative-free versions: the rule of thumb at any step if you need drops more than four to six times a day, wear contact lenses, or find drops themselves start to sting, because preservatives can irritate the surface they are meant to soothe.[1]
Add lid care (warm compresses, massage and lash-line cleansing) whenever the lid glands are involved, which is often.[4] Prescription anti-inflammatory drops sit above this ladder and belong with specialists, as covered below.
Which dry eye treatment might the doctor recommend?
Treatment follows the pattern and the drivers. This is the framework our doctors use, aligned with the cited guidance:[1]
Swipe sideways to compare →
| Presentation | Likely first step | Suitable for online care? | When referral or in-person care is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gritty, burning eyes after screen work, worse by evening | Regular artificial tears plus screen-habit and environment changes | Usually yes | No improvement after 4–8 weeks of a properly followed plan |
| Dryness with crusty or greasy lid margins | Lid hygiene routine for the blepharitis component plus lubricants | Usually yes | Persistent surface symptoms despite combined treatment |
| Dryness on a drying medicine or around menopause | Medicines review, lubricants, and treating what can be changed | Usually yes | If symptoms persist once contributing factors are addressed |
| Severe dryness with dry mouth, joint pains or autoimmune disease | Blood tests and referral to investigate Sjögren's syndrome | Online to start the work-up | Usually; specialist confirmation and shared care |
| Eye pain, light sensitivity, vision change, or a painful red eye in a lens wearer | Same-day in-person eye assessment | No | Always; these are not dry eye symptoms |
Availability of individual medicines and who may prescribe them vary by country; your doctor confirms what applies where you are.
Not sure which row is your eyes? A doctor can tell you in one consultation.
See available times →Treatment options for dry eye syndrome
What you can do yourself
Start with the ladder above: regular artificial tears in the right formulation, preservative-free where the rule of thumb applies, plus the screen, air and blink habits that reduce evaporation in the first place. Warm compresses and lid massage help whenever the oil glands are sluggish, omega-3-rich food may modestly improve oil quality, and drinking sensibly and sleeping enough are small but real contributors.[5] Give any properly followed regime several weeks before judging it, and avoid "redness-relief" whitening drops, which do nothing for dryness and can rebound.
Prescription treatment
A prescription is never issued without a consultation, and for dry eye the honest message is that most prescriptions are not step one. Short anti-inflammatory courses such as steroid drops belong with eye specialists after slit-lamp examination, and ciclosporin drops, licensed in the EU for severe keratitis in dry eye disease that has not responded to tear substitutes, are initiated by ophthalmologists.[2] For gland-related disease linked to rosacea, a doctor can sometimes add a low-dose oral tetracycline course, with country-by-country variation in what applies.[3] Procedures such as punctal plugs, which slow tear drainage, are in-person specialist options for the persistent minority. What the online doctor contributes at that level is recognising you belong there and writing the referral.
When we treat dry eye online, and when we refer you
We treat online: typical screen-, environment- and age-related dry eye; dryness with a blepharitis component, treated together; medicine-related dryness, with a proper review of what you take; contact-lens-related dryness and wearing-habit advice; and stepped follow-up when the first rung of the ladder has not been enough.
We refer or redirect you: suspected Sjögren's syndrome or other autoimmune disease, after starting the blood-test work-up; persistent or severe symptoms despite a properly followed plan, which deserve slit-lamp examination; any true pain, light sensitivity or vision change; a painful red eye in a contact-lens wearer, always the same day; and dryness after eye surgery or injury, which belongs with the treating specialist.
When to get in-person care
Dry eye is uncomfortable, not dangerous, so treat a change in the picture seriously: severe eye pain, marked light sensitivity, sudden blurred or lost vision, a chemical splash (rinse the open eye with clean water for 15–20 minutes and seek emergency care), or a painful red eye in a contact-lens wearer all need same-day in-person assessment. If vision is disappearing or an injury is severe, call 112 immediately.
Treating dry eyes at home: what helps and what does not
Home care is the foundation of dry eye treatment: warm compresses on closed lids, gentle lid cleaning, deliberate screen breaks with full blinks, and pharmacy lubricating drops, choosing preservative-free versions if you need them more than a few times a day.
What home care cannot do: it cannot treat the causes behind stubborn dryness, from lid inflammation to medication side effects to autoimmune conditions, and it cannot judge when dryness has damaged the surface of the eye. Pain rather than grittiness, light sensitivity, or any change in vision needs prompt assessment, and dry eyes that rule your day despite honest home care have earned a proper diagnosis.
Staying at home is the point of Mobi Doctor: a licensed doctor on video, usually within about 15 minutes, with no waiting room. If medication is the right answer, the prescription follows. Book a video consultation: the exact price is shown before you pay.
How Mobi Doctor works
- Book a time that suits you: open daily 7am–11pm. Most patients speak to a doctor within about 15 minutes of their booked time. no subscription, exact price up front.
- Upload photos of your eyes and lash lines, then speak to a licensed doctor: a private video call: you describe what you feel, the doctor asks what matters, and you agree the right plan together.
- Get your drops plan and review date: if prescription treatment is right for you, it follows the consultation. If we can’t help you online, you get a full refund.
No sign-up needed
Tick what you feel to see every condition page that mentions it. It finds the right page, not a diagnosis: a doctor gives you that on a video call.
Tap the body — an area or a point — to browse symptoms anywhere
Not sure this is the right page? Find your symptom in the symptom navigator, or book and describe it to a doctor.
Frequently asked questions about dry eye syndrome
Can an online doctor prescribe dry eye treatment in Europe?
Yes, within honest limits, and only after a consultation. A prescription is never issued without one. Most dry eye treatment is about the right artificial tears and habits rather than prescriptions, and the strongest options, such as steroid or ciclosporin drops, are started by eye specialists. The doctor prescribes what is appropriate, and refers you when the next step is specialist care. Prescribing rules vary by country, and your doctor confirms what applies to you.
How much does a dry eye consultation cost?
The exact price of a video consultation is shown before payment, and there is no subscription. If the doctor can’t treat you online, you get a full refund and clear directions to the right care.
How fast can I get my dry eyes assessed?
Appointments are available daily from 7am to 11pm, often within about 15 minutes. Dry eye assesses well by video, because the pattern of symptoms, screen habits, medicines and lens use tells the doctor most of what determines treatment, so one consultation usually ends with a concrete plan.
What is the best eye drop for dry eyes?
The best eye drop for dry eyes is the one matched to your severity, used regularly. Watery drops such as hypromellose or carmellose suit mild dryness, longer-lasting gels suit moderate dryness, and night ointment suits waking symptoms. Go preservative-free if you need drops more than four to six times a day or wear contact lenses. Frequency matters more than brand.
Why do my dry eyes keep watering?
Because a poor tear film irritates the eye surface, which then triggers bursts of reflex tears, especially in wind or cold. Those watery tears lack the oily layer that makes tears stay put, so the eye waters and stays dry at the same time. Treating the dryness, not the watering, breaks the cycle.
Do dry eyes get better on their own?
Sometimes, when a clear trigger passes: a dry-aired office, a medication course, or heavy screen weeks. More often dry eye is a long-term tendency that needs ongoing habits and lubricants, managed rather than cured. It responds well to that management, and flares become less frequent once the routine is established.
Is dry eye syndrome serious?
Usually not: for most people it is a comfort and quality-of-life problem. Severe untreated dryness can damage the eye surface, and dryness with dry mouth or joint pains can point to an underlying condition worth investigating. Pain, light sensitivity or vision change are not dry eye symptoms and need same-day in-person care.
- Dry eye syndrome: Clinical Knowledge Summary, NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries, revised 2023.
- Ikervis (ciclosporin): European public assessment report, EMA, European Medicines Agency, 2015 (updated).
- Blepharitis: Clinical Knowledge Summary, NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries, revised 2023.
- Dry eyes, HSE, Health Service Executive (Ireland), reviewed 2024.
- Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements for dry eye disease, Cochrane, Cochrane Library, 2019.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for a medical consultation. Guideline links are provided for transparency; treatment decisions are made with your doctor.
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