Dry eyes at the desk — 5 fixes

Screens don't dry your eyes directly — but how you use them does. Here's why, and five things that actually help.

Why it happens

You blink less than half as often while focused on a screen. Less blinking means less tear film spread across the eye, which is most of what "screen dry eye" really is.

Five real fixes

1. Blink deliberately every few minutes, especially during focused work.
2. Keep the screen slightly below eye level — it reduces how much eye surface is exposed to air.
3. Use a humidifier if your office or home runs an AC most of the day.
4. Preservative-free lubricating drops are fine for daily use — ask our optometrist which one.
5. Take real breaks — the 20-20-20 rule works for adults too.

If drops and habits don't help within a couple of weeks, it's worth a real check rather than just buying a stronger drop.