Why Your Eyes Feel Dry When the Heating Comes On | Dry Eye Symptoms and How to Use Artificial Tears Properly

Do your eyes feel hard to open in the morning, and by afternoon do they sting as if there were sand in them? In November, when the weather turns chilly and people start turning on the heating, more and more people visit eye clinics with these symptoms. Once the windows are closed and the heater is on, indoor air dries out quickly, and tears evaporate just as fast.

According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, about 2.39 million people visited a hospital for dry eye in 2024. That is about one in twenty people covered by national health insurance, and because it is so common, it is easy to brush off. However, dry eye tends to improve fairly easily when managed early, while leaving it untreated for a long time can lead to complications such as keratitis that may affect your vision.

What Causes Dry Eye?

The surface of the eye is covered by a thin tear film. From the outside in, the tear film has three layers: a lipid layer, an aqueous layer and a mucin layer, and the outermost lipid layer keeps tears from evaporating. When tear production drops or the balance of these layers breaks down so that tears dry too quickly, inflammation and damage develop on the surface of the eye. This is dry eye.

In many cases, it is not a single cause but several factors overlapping.

• Dry indoor environment: Air from heaters or air conditioners, and poorly ventilated spaces

• Digital device use: When you focus on a screen, you blink less often, so tears evaporate more easily.

• Wearing contact lenses for long hours

• After vision correction surgery: Dryness can occur for a while after LASIK or LASEK.

• Age and sex: Tear production decreases with age, and women are known to have dry eye about twice as often as men.

• Systemic conditions: Conditions in which tears themselves dry up, such as Sjögren's syndrome, can also be the cause.

Suspect Dry Eye If You Have These Symptoms

• Eyes feel dry and gritty, as if sand or something is in them

• Eyes sting or burn and turn red easily

• Eyes feel blurry and tired in the afternoon or evening

• Tears stream down when you are out in the wind

• Wearing contact lenses becomes increasingly uncomfortable

It may sound strange to call watery eyes "dry eye," but when the eye surface is dry and irritated, tears can pour out as a reflex. Having a lot of tears does not necessarily mean you do not have dry eye.

Are You Using Artificial Tears Correctly?

When dry eye symptoms appear, the most common remedy is artificial tears, which take over the role of natural tears. But if you do not follow the directions, they may work less well or even put a strain on your eyes.

• Throw away single-use vials the same day: Once opened, a single-use vial of artificial tears should be discarded within the day, even if some is left.

• Limit how often you use multi-dose bottles with preservatives: Multi-dose products containing preservatives are recommended for no more than four times a day. If you need drops often, preservative-free single-use products are a better choice.

• Wait 5 minutes between different eye drops: It is best to wait at least about five minutes so the first drop is not washed out.

• Keep the tip away from your eye: To prevent contamination, take care that the tip of the container does not touch your eye or eyelashes.

For reference, since December 2024, Korea's national health insurance covers single-use hyaluronic acid eye drops only up to six vials per day. Dryness caused by external factors, such as wearing contact lenses or vision correction surgery, is no longer covered, but coverage is available if tests confirm dry eye in which tear production itself is insufficient. If your eyes do not improve even though you use artificial tears diligently, you may need treatment for inflammation, so it is a good idea to see an eye doctor.

Everyday Ways to Manage Dry Eye

Dry eye often needs steady management rather than being cured all at once. Building the following habits into daily life can help reduce symptoms.

• Keep indoor humidity up: Use a humidifier so the room does not get too dry, and ventilate at least three times a day.

• Avoid direct airflow: Adjust heaters and car vents so the air does not blow directly on your face.

• Look for 50 minutes, rest for 10: After using a computer or smartphone for about 50 minutes, rest for 10 minutes by closing your eyes or looking into the distance.

• Blink on purpose: When looking at a screen, make a habit of blinking more often than usual and closing your eyes fully.

• Wear lenses for less time: Cut down on lens wear, for example by wearing glasses at home.

• Warm compresses: Placing a clean, warm towel over the eyelids may help the oil glands in the eyelids secrete. Be careful that it is not too hot.

If You Are Planning Eye Surgery

After eye cosmetic surgery such as double eyelid surgery, ptosis correction or lower eyelid surgery, some people feel temporary dryness because of swelling and changes in eyelid movement. If you already have dry eye, tell your surgeon at the pre-surgery consultation and confirm together which artificial tears to use and how to care for your eyes during recovery. If you are planning vision correction surgery, it also helps to have your tear condition checked during the pre-surgery exam.

See an Eye Doctor Right Away in These Cases

If you have any of the following symptoms rather than simple dryness, it is safer not to put off seeing a doctor.

• When your vision suddenly drops or lights look badly blurred

• When eye pain is severe or redness lasts for several days

• When an infection is suspected, such as heavy yellow discharge

• When your mouth is also dry or you have joint pain

• When symptoms do not improve despite regular use of artificial tears

Dry eye is a common condition, but if symptoms keep coming back, it is important to find the exact cause and get treatment suited to its stage. Starting now, as the heating season begins, take care of both your indoor humidity and your eye habits.

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