What actually works for dry eye
Every common dry eye remedy, graded by the strength of the research behind it. From free habits to clinic treatments, with the source linked on every row and a rough idea of cost.
How the grades work
Strong evidence
Consistent results from several well-run randomized trials.
Good evidence
At least one solid trial or regulatory approval, backed by other studies. Helps many people.
Mixed evidence
Small or conflicting studies. May help some people, and the low-risk ones are worth a try.
Weak evidence
Good studies found little or no benefit for this use.
Not recommended means it doesn’t treat dry eye and can make things worse with regular use.
The evidence board
Showing 20 items
| Remedy | Where | Evidence | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preservative-free artificial tearsThe sensible first step for almost everyone. Pick preservative-free if you use drops more than four times a day, and match the formula to your type.Pucker et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2016 (opens in a new tab) | Over the counter | Good | $About $10 to $25 a month |
| Warm compress with a heat-holding maskSoftens thickened oil in the eyelid glands, but only if the heat stays above about 40°C for around ten minutes. A microwaved mask does that. A washcloth doesn’t.Review of warm compress therapy in MGD, 2024 (opens in a new tab) | At home | Good | $One-off $15 to $35 |
| Daily lid hygieneCleaning the lash line eases symptoms of blepharitis in trials. Cheap, low risk and often skipped.Lindsley et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2012 (opens in a new tab) | At home | Good | $About $10 to $20 a month |
| Blink exercisesA small trial found a month of simple blink drills improved symptoms and tear film stability. Promising, free and takes two minutes.Kim et al., Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, 2021 (opens in a new tab) | At home | Mixed | Free |
| 20-20-20 screen breaksReminders to look away cut eye strain and dryness symptoms in a two-week study. The benefit faded a week after people stopped.Talens-Estarelles et al., Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, 2023 (opens in a new tab) | At home | Mixed | Free |
| HumidifierMakes physical sense in dry, heated rooms and carries little risk. Direct trial evidence for dry eye is limited. | At home | Mixed | $$One-off $30 to $80 |
| Moisture chamber gogglesWorth a try if your eyes are worst in the morning or you sleep with a fan or CPAP. Not well studied. | Over the counter | Mixed | $$About $25 to $60 |
| Omega-3 fish oil supplementsThe largest trial gave people 3,000 mg a day for a year. They did no better than people taking olive oil.DREAM Study Research Group, New England Journal of Medicine, 2018 (opens in a new tab) | Over the counter | Mixed | $$About $15 to $45 a month |
| Tea tree oil lid treatmentsReduces Demodex mites in some studies, but a Cochrane review called the evidence uncertain. Lower concentrations irritate less.Savla et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020 (opens in a new tab) | Over the counter | Mixed | $$About $20 to $40 a month |
| Blue light glasses for eye strainA 2023 Cochrane review found they probably make no difference to eye strain from screens. Spend the money elsewhere.Singh et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023 (opens in a new tab) | Over the counter | Weak | $$About $20 to $100 |
| Redness-relief dropsThey shrink blood vessels. They don’t treat dryness, and regular use can leave eyes redder when they wear off. | Over the counter | Not recommended | $About $5 to $15 |
| Prescription anti-inflammatory dropsCyclosporine and lifitegrast calm the inflammation that keeps dry eye going. They can take weeks to months to show their full effect.American Academy of Ophthalmology (opens in a new tab) | Prescription | Good | $$$Varies with insurance |
| Perfluorohexyloctane (Miebo)The first prescription drop approved specifically to slow tear evaporation. A good fit for oil-layer dry eye.BioSpace, May 2023 (opens in a new tab) | Prescription | Good | $$$Varies with insurance |
| Tear-stimulating drops and spraysAcoltremon (Tryptyr) and varenicline nasal spray (Tyrvaya) prompt your own tear production by stimulating nerves, rather than adding fake tears.Acoltremon review, 2025 (opens in a new tab) | Prescription | Good | $$$Varies with insurance |
| Lotilaner (Xdemvy) for DemodexTwo phase 3 trials. In one, 56% of patients had their lash debris fully cleared after six weeks, against 12.5% on placebo.Saturn-2 phase 3 trial, Ophthalmology, 2023 (opens in a new tab) | Prescription | Strong | $$$Varies with insurance |
| Intense pulsed light (IPL)Pulses of light on the skin below the eyes improve oil gland function and tear stability. Especially useful if you also have rosacea.Healio, April 2021 (opens in a new tab) | In a clinic | Good | $$$$Often $300 to $600 a session, usually 3 to 4 sessions |
| Thermal pulsation (LipiFlow and similar)Heats and gently squeezes the glands in one visit. One trial found a single session matched three months of twice-daily lid care.Finis et al., The Ocular Surface, 2014 (opens in a new tab) | In a clinic | Good | $$$$Often $800 to $2,500 for both eyes |
| Punctal plugsTiny plugs slow tear drainage. Many people feel better, but a Cochrane review couldn’t confirm how well they work.Ervin et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017 (opens in a new tab) | In a clinic | Mixed | $$Often partly covered by insurance |
| Autologous serum dropsDrops made from your own blood, used for severe cases. May beat artificial tears in the short term, with little long-term data.Pan et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017 (opens in a new tab) | In a clinic | Mixed | $$$$Often a few hundred dollars per batch, rarely covered |
| Drinking more waterGood for you in general, but there’s no good evidence extra water fixes dry eye unless you’re actually dehydrated. | At home | Weak | Free |
Costs are typical US prices before insurance and vary widely by clinic and region. Grades reflect our reading of the published evidence as of the date above. How we grade.
How to use this board
Start with the low-cost, well-supported basics: preservative-free drops matched to your type, a proper warm compress routine and daily lid hygiene. Give them four to six weeks, which is how long most of them take to show what they can do.
If you’re still uncomfortable, the prescription and clinic rows are where the bigger gains are. A dry eye specialist can test which layer of your tear film is failing and pick treatments that target it, instead of working through the list one bottle at a time.
Grades aren’t the whole story. A mixed-evidence remedy that’s cheap and harmless, like blink exercises, can be worth a try. A strongly supported treatment can still be wrong for you. That’s a conversation for your eye doctor.
The free Dry Eye Profile sorts your symptoms into a likely type and gives you a plan in about three minutes.
Surprised by a grade?
Omega-3 supplements and blue light glasses are two of the most-bought dry eye and eye strain products, and both score poorly in the best available trials. Read what the blue light research found, or see the DREAM trial summary.
When drops aren’t enough, the fix is usually in a clinic.
Blocked oil glands, eyelid mites and long-running inflammation don’t respond to anything on a pharmacy shelf. A dry eye specialist can measure what’s going on and treat the cause.
- Intense pulsed lightOil glands, rosacea
- Thermal pulsationBlocked glands
- Lotilaner dropsEyelid mites
- Anti-inflammatory dropsChronic inflammation
- Punctal plugsLow tear volume