Dry Eyes in Australian Climates: Relief & Causes

What Dry Eye Feels Like

Common symptoms include:

• Burning or stinging
• A gritty, “sand in the eye” feeling
• Redness
• Sensitivity to light
• Watery eyes (more on this below)

Why Eyes Can Water When They’re Dry

It sounds contradictory, but it’s well recognised. When the eye surface becomes irritated, the body can respond with “reflex tearing”, where the tear glands produce a rush of watery tears. These tears lack the protective oils of a healthy tear film, so the eyes feel uncomfortable and wet at the same time.

This links to how tears are built. The tear film has three layers:

• An outer oil (lipid) layer made by the meibomian glands in the eyelids
• A middle watery (aqueous) layer
• An inner mucin layer that helps tears spread over the eye

Up to 80% of dry eye cases involve evaporative dry eye, often linked to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). In MGD, the oil glands become blocked and tears evaporate too quickly. Because the problem is a shortage of oil rather than water, simply adding water-based moisture doesn’t always address the cause. An optometrist can help work out which type you have.

How the Australian Environment Plays a Part

Many online guides stay generic, but local conditions matter. Factors that can dry out the eye surface include:

• Strong UV exposure, especially in outdoor-heavy lifestyles
• Low humidity, particularly in inland and rural regions
• Coastal winds, which can speed up tear evaporation
• Bushfire smoke during summer
• Indoor air-conditioning in summer and reverse-cycle heating in winter

Practical examples:

• A tradie working outdoors in wind and dust may notice symptoms by midday.
• A Perth or Sydney office worker may feel worse under a ceiling vent.
• Someone in a dry inland town might notice eyes feeling gritty on waking.

Simple adjustments, like directing vents away from your face or wearing wraparound sunglasses outdoors, are commonly suggested environmental changes.

Everyday Lifestyle Triggers

Beyond the weather, daily habits and life stages contribute:

• Screen use: Concentrating on a screen can reduce blinking by up to 50%, so tears evaporate and aren’t refreshed as often. A popular habit is the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something about 6 metres away for 20 seconds.
• Contact lens wear
• Ageing
• Hormonal changes, such as menopause
• Some medications, including antihistamines and decongestants

If you suspect a medication is involved, don’t stop it on your own. Ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Relief Options, Sorted by Level of Evidence

Information about dry eye often blends approved treatments, early research and home remedies together. Here they are separated.

Proven and approved approaches

Conservative first-line care. Healthdirect Australia describes these as standard options for mild symptoms:

• Artificial tears (lubricating drops). Healthdirect notes that preservative-free versions are preferable if drops are used more than four times a day.
• Warm eyelid compresses
• Adjusting your environment

Preservatives such as benzalkonium chloride, found in some drops, can irritate the eye surface with frequent long-term use. This is a good question for your pharmacist or optometrist.

Prescription and in-clinic options. For moderate-to-severe inflammatory dry eye, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved prescription anti-inflammatory eye drops, such as topical ciclosporin. Certain intense pulsed light (IPL) devices are also TGA-approved in Australia for MGD and ocular surface inflammation, used under professional optometric supervision. These need a proper assessment and aren’t something to self-select.

Traditional and complementary practices

• Warm washcloth compresses: A long-standing home approach is placing a warm, damp cloth or heated eye mask over closed eyelids to soften hardened oils in the eyelid glands. Warm compresses also appear in the conservative guidance above, so this is a case where tradition and mainstream advice overlap.
• Omega-3-rich foods: Eating oily fish like salmon or sardines, or seeds like flaxseed and chia, has traditionally been recommended to support general skin and eye hydration. This is a traditional idea and not a guaranteed fix.

Early research and emerging science

Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are an area of ongoing study. Research at the University of Melbourne indicates that long-chain omega-3 supplementation may help reduce tear film osmolarity (the saltiness of tears) and support corneal nerve density in people with dry eye.

However, the evidence is mixed. Large international studies such as the DREAM trial showed variable results on whether oral omega-3s beat a placebo. More recent meta-analyses, such as Wang and Ko (2023), suggest possible benefits specifically for evaporative dry eye with extended use. Because results are inconsistent, check with a doctor or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially at high doses.

When to Get Professional Advice

Mild, occasional discomfort may settle with simple habit changes. But it’s worth seeing an optometrist, GP or ophthalmologist if symptoms persist, keep returning, get worse or affect daily life. A professional can identify whether you have an oil-related, water-related or mixed problem, and rule out other causes.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are my eyes watery if I have dry eye? Irritation can trigger reflex tearing. These tears are mostly water and lack the oils needed to stay on the eye surface.
• Is dry eye just a lack of water? Not usually. Up to 80% of cases involve evaporative dry eye linked to blocked oil glands.
• Can the 20-20-20 rule help? It’s a commonly recommended habit for screen strain and encourages more regular blinking. It’s a lifestyle measure, not a medical treatment.
• Are all eye drops the same? No. Some contain preservatives that may irritate the eye with frequent use. A pharmacist or optometrist can explain the differences.
• Do omega-3 supplements work? Research is mixed. Some studies suggest possible benefit for evaporative dry eye, while others show variable results. Talk to a healthcare professional first.

Conclusion

Australia’s mix of sun, wind, dry air, smoke and air-conditioning can all challenge the tear film, and modern screen habits add to the load. Understanding that dry eye is often about oil as well as water makes it easier to see why symptoms like watery eyes happen.

Keep the evidence levels in mind: approved conservative and prescription options sit at one end, traditional practices like warm compresses and oily fish in the middle, and omega-3 supplements still under study. For a diagnosis and a plan that suits you, speak to your optometrist, GP or pharmacist.

This article is for general education only and is not a substitute for personal medical advice.