Medically reviewed by Dr. Ahmed Shaarawy · Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · Review policy (Arabic)
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Dry eye disease (xerophthalmia) is a common condition in which your tears simply can't keep the eye lubricated. That can happen for more than one reason — sometimes the eye makes too few tears, and sometimes the tears it makes are poor quality.
Patients usually describe stinging, burning, or a general sense of discomfort. Certain settings make it flare: a flight, an air-conditioned room, or a long stretch staring at a computer or phone.
Tears are a mix of water, lipids, and mucin. Together they lubricate and cleanse the surface of the eye and help protect it from infection. The most common cause of dry eye is that the eye produces fewer tears than it needs. In other cases the tear film itself is abnormal — the tears evaporate too quickly and never manage to keep the surface lubricated.
Reduced tear production is sometimes called keratitis sicca. It has several drivers: ageing, diabetes, vitamin A deficiency, and scleroderma, among other conditions that can lead to chronic dry eye.
Common signs and symptoms include:
If left untreated, dry eye can lead to:
Yes, and patients feel it in daily life. Reading for any length of time, or working on a computer or phone, becomes considerably harder when the eye is dry.
Dry eye is common after LASIK, but here it is usually temporary — a matter of days, not a chronic condition.
Most patients start with lubricating eye drops. More complex cases may need additional therapies on top.
The focus of treatment is comfort and protecting the surface of the eye — usually a combination of lifestyle changes and ongoing drops. For many patients this is a long-term routine that keeps symptoms well under control.
If you are experiencing dry eye symptoms, don't hesitate to book an appointment with Dr. Shaarawy by clicking the "Book a Visit" button.
