Does drinking more water help dry eyes?

Tears are mostly water, and the watery layer provides the volume that keeps the surface of the eye comfortable. Being properly hydrated supports tear production and helps that layer stay stable. Being dehydrated is a handicap you do not need on top of everything else.

Practically: aim for around eight glasses a day, more if you are active or out in the sun. Water-rich foods such as cucumber, watermelon, oranges and strawberries count. Alcohol and caffeine work against you, so balance them with extra water rather than avoiding them entirely.

If your meibomian glands are blocked, the oil layer is thin and your tears evaporate faster than you can make them. You can be perfectly hydrated and still have dry, gritty, watering eyes, because the problem is the lid, not the supply.

This is the reason people who dutifully drink more water and still feel no better assume nothing will help. Usually something will — just not that.

Prairie air is dry to begin with, and both air conditioning in summer and heating in winter take more moisture out of it. A humidifier at home is a small change that people notice.

Outdoors, sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB reduce the drying effect of sun and wind; wraparound styles keep more wind and debris out. On screens, the 20-20-20 rule is worth the effort: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It restores your blink rate, which is what actually helps.