My Eyes Started Burning at Work — and What I Found Out Shocked Me

I always thought dry eyes were just part of “adulting.” You stare at screens all day, maybe forget to blink as much, and your eyes start feeling like sandpaper by 4 p.m. That was my daily routine — until one week, I realized I was keeping eye drops on my desk like coffee. That’s when I decided to dig deeper into what’s really happening when your eyes feel constantly dry.

Turns out, it’s not just about being tired. I came across a guide from AskDocDoc (https://askdocdoc.com/articles/1123-symptoms-of-eye-dryness
) that broke it down simply: our eyes depend on a delicate tear film — a mix of water, oil, and mucus — to stay healthy. When that balance breaks, even slightly, your eyes can feel gritty, burn, or start watering uncontrollably. Crazy part? Those “watery eyes” can actually mean they’re too dry.

I started noticing how bad it got after long Zoom meetings. And apparently, I’m not alone — someone on Threads (https://www.threads.com/@askdocdoc/post/DQW6ZZ_DfrE
) wrote that the urge to rub your eyes after staring at a screen is your eyes saying “I’m thirsty.” That hit me hard. I’d been ignoring it for years.

Scrolling further, I found a post on X (https://x.com/1881713393369030656/status/1983194620373721165
) that joked about how eye drops are becoming the new mid-afternoon coffee for remote workers. Honestly, not wrong. And when I saw a LinkedIn post (https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:share:7388960393982922752
) talking about how companies are starting to address digital eye strain in workplace wellness programs, I realized this isn’t a niche problem anymore.

The funny thing? My mom saw a Pinterest board (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/928445279439934294/
) full of “eye health hacks” before I did. It had simple stuff like blinking exercises, hydration reminders, and even suggestions to use humidifiers near your workstation. She sent me the link with a “told you so” message. Moms always win.

And just when I thought I’d heard it all, I saw a Facebook post (https://www.facebook.com/122099392514743210/posts/122144869370743210
) where someone shared their quick fix — lowering their monitor slightly below eye level. It sounded too simple, but guess what? It worked. My eyes felt instantly less strained.

Now, I’m way more conscious. I follow the 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds), keep a small bottle of artificial tears nearby, and try to blink with intention when deep in work mode. And yes, I drink more water — because dry eyes often start with dehydration.

If you’ve been feeling the burn (literally), maybe it’s time to pay attention to what your eyes are trying to tell you. Eye dryness can creep up quietly, but with small changes — posture, lighting, hydration — it’s completely manageable.

I never thought something as simple as blinking less could cause so much discomfort. Now I’m more aware, and my eyes thank me for it every day.

How about you? Have you ever dealt with chronic eye dryness or screen-related eye strain? What small changes helped you most? Let’s trade tips — maybe someone else out there needs to hear it too.