Can dry eye be treated?
Dry eye can usually be improved, though it is often managed rather than cured. Treatment depends on which part of the tear system is failing, which is why an assessment of the surface comes before a recommendation.
- Subject
- Eye conditions
- Topic
- Dry eye
- Kind of question
- Can I…
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
Options range from lubricants and lid hygiene to prescription treatment, punctal plugs and procedures aimed at the eyelid glands. Which applies is determined by examining the surface rather than by the symptom description.
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Eye conditions & diseases in Dry eye . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Condition Dry eye
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- Eye Health Information
Condition-by-condition eye health information from a US government research institute, written for patients rather than for clinicians.
Used for Plain-language explanations of eye conditions and their symptoms; Healthy vision and screening guidance.
Link checked 23 September 2026
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026