Some people notice aching, burning or tightness in the eyes after looking at a screen for a period of time, and may need to blink frequently to feel more comfortable.
Others may have watery eyes but still feel dry, irritated and uncomfortable. Some people also experience eye redness, light sensitivity, increased discharge, or sticky eyes on waking.
If these symptoms recur and become worse after prolonged eye use, air conditioning, dry weather or lack of sleep, it is important to assess whether this is dry eye syndrome rather than simple eye fatigue.
Dry eye syndrome is a chronic condition of the eye surface caused by reduced stability of the tear film and ocular surface. It is not simply a matter of the eyes being “short of water”. It involves changes in tear film structure and eye surface regulation.
The tear film has three main layers:
This is produced by the meibomian glands and helps reduce tear evaporation. If oil secretion is insufficient or poor in quality, evaporative dry eye may develop.
This is produced by the lacrimal glands and helps moisten the eye surface. If tear production is reduced, the eyes may feel dry for long periods.
This helps tears spread evenly across the eye surface. If the ocular surface is unstable, tears may not distribute evenly, leading to dryness and a gritty sensation.
Common types include:
Tear production is insufficient, and dryness is usually more obvious.
This is often related to meibomian gland dysfunction. The eyes may feel tired, burning or sore, and vision may fluctuate.
Both reduced tear production and increased evaporation are present. This is common in clinical practice.
Common triggers include prolonged use of digital devices, air conditioning or dry environments, contact lens wear, ageing, hormonal changes, certain medicines, autoimmune conditions and inflammation of the eye surface.
Management depends on the type and severity of dry eye. Long-term self-use of eye drops without assessment is not always appropriate.
These may help mild dryness or short-term discomfort by improving lubrication. If frequent use is needed, preservative-free artificial tears are often recommended.
For evaporative dry eye, warm compresses, eyelid hygiene and support for meibomian gland function are important. Simply adding moisture may have limited effect if evaporation remains high.
If eye surface inflammation is significant, an eye specialist may consider anti-inflammatory eye drops or other prescription treatments.
This includes reducing long periods of uninterrupted screen use, avoiding direct airflow from air conditioning or fans, improving humidity, and practising regular blinking and rest breaks.
If dry eye is accompanied by dry mouth, joint discomfort, long-term redness or changes in vision, further assessment may be needed to check for immune, ocular surface or systemic conditions.
Clinical focus: the aim is to restore tear film stability, reduce eye surface irritation and control inflammation, rather than only creating short-term moisture.
In Chinese Medicine, the Liver is closely related to the eyes. Eye moisture, comfort and clear vision are associated with Liver Blood, Yin fluids, Qi and Blood movement, and Spleen and Stomach transformation.
Dry eye is not always caused by a simple lack of fluid. It may involve insufficient nourishment, uneven distribution of fluids, poor upward movement of clear Yang, and irritation from wind-heat or deficiency heat.
Common Chinese Medicine mechanisms include:
Prolonged eye use, late nights and stress may consume Liver Blood. When the eyes are not adequately nourished, dryness, tiredness, blurred vision and worsening after eye use may occur.
A dry constitution, long-term poor sleep or ageing may lead to insufficient Yin fluids. Dryness may be persistent, with burning, worse symptoms at night, dry mouth, dry skin or light sleep.
Emotional tension and stress may affect the movement of Qi. When Qi movement is not smooth, fluid distribution and eye regulation may become unstable, causing fluctuating dryness, watering or eye tightness, often worse during stress.
When Spleen and Stomach transformation is weak, damp-turbidity may build up and the clear Yang may not rise well to the eyes. Alongside dryness, there may be sticky eyes, increased discharge, heavy-headedness, fatigue, reduced appetite or bloating.
If redness, stinging, burning or light sensitivity is clear, this may suggest stronger eye irritation or inflammation. Chinese Medicine differentiates between excess heat, deficiency heat and external irritation before treatment is planned.
Therefore, Chinese Medicine support for dry eye is not simply about nourishing Liver Blood or Yin. It first identifies whether dryness is mainly due to poor nourishment, poor fluid distribution, damp-turbidity obstruction, or heat disturbing the eyes.
At prime&naturals, assessment first clarifies several key clinical questions:
Common Chinese Medicine patterns include:
Common signs include dry eyes, eye fatigue, easy blurring of vision and worsening after eye use, with some relief after rest.
Assessment focus: insufficient nourishment of the eyes, commonly seen in people with prolonged screen or near-work use.
Dryness is persistent, often with burning and worse symptoms at night. Dry mouth and light sleep may also be present.
Assessment focus: insufficient Yin fluids, with reduced stable lubrication of the eye surface.
Symptoms fluctuate, and dryness, watering or eye tightness may become more obvious during stress.
Assessment focus: disrupted Qi movement and fluid distribution causing unstable symptoms.
The eyes may feel sticky, with more discharge, heavy-headedness and fatigue. Digestive weakness is often also present.
Assessment focus: damp-turbidity and weak transformation affecting eye comfort and recovery.
Eye redness, stinging, light sensitivity and burning are more obvious.
Assessment focus: stronger local irritation or inflammation, requiring differentiation between excess heat and deficiency heat.
The purpose of pattern assessment is not simply to ask whether the eyes are dry, but to identify the main barrier behind dry eye. Only then can care move beyond basic lubrication or repeated use of eye drops.
The approach is to first identify the type, then support the foundations of tear film stability, and finally improve long-term constitutional balance. This is used alongside appropriate eye assessment and treatment when needed.
If redness, stinging, burning or light sensitivity is obvious, we first assess whether inflammation, wind-heat or deficiency heat is present. The focus is to reduce irritation and avoid inappropriate over-nourishing or warming approaches that may worsen discomfort.
For Liver Blood deficiency or Yin fluid deficiency, treatment may focus on nourishing Blood, supporting eye moisture and nourishing Yin. If symptoms fluctuate with stress, treatment may focus on regulating Liver Qi so that fluid distribution and eye regulation become more stable.
If sticky eyes, increased discharge, heavy-headedness, fatigue or digestive discomfort are present, treatment may focus on strengthening the Spleen, transforming dampness and improving the movement of clear and turbid substances. The aim is to improve the pattern of “dryness with stickiness” or repeated lack of freshness in the eyes.
Dry eye is often linked to screen use, poor sleep, air-conditioned environments and stress. Eye-use habits, sleep, diet and environmental factors are therefore considered to help reduce recurrence.
Treatment may include Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture and lifestyle advice, depending on the individual situation.
If you are already using prescription eye drops, anti-inflammatory treatment or receiving ophthalmology care, Chinese Medicine support should work alongside your existing plan. Eye medications should not be stopped without advice from your eye-care practitioner.
After a basic eye assessment, Chinese Medicine support may be considered in the following situations:
Dry eye syndrome should not be understood only as a lack of moisture in the eyes.
Alongside appropriate eye assessment, Chinese Medicine may support dry eye by addressing Liver Blood, Yin fluids, Qi movement, Spleen and Stomach function, and heat-related irritation. This may help improve tear film stability and long-term eye comfort.
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