Do dry eyes cause headaches? It’s a question many people ask when they experience eye discomfort alongside nagging head pain. While it might seem unrelated at first, dry eye syndrome and headaches often go hand in hand, especially for those who spend long hours on screens or in dry environments. When your eyes lack sufficient moisture, they become irritated, strained, and fatigued — all of which can trigger or worsen headaches. Understanding the link between eye health and head pain is key to finding lasting relief. So, whether you’re dealing with daily discomfort or occasional eye strain, it’s worth exploring the answer to one important question: Do dry eyes cause headaches?
Dry eye is a common yet often misunderstood condition that occurs when your eyes don’t produce enough tears, or the tears evaporate too quickly. Tears are essential for keeping your eyes lubricated, nourished, and protected from irritants. Without a healthy tear film, your eyes can become irritated, inflamed, and prone to infections — and yes, they can even contribute to headaches.
Understanding the root of dry eyes is the first step in preventing them. Here are some common causes:
Aging – Tear production naturally decreases with age, especially after 50.
Hormonal changes – Pregnancy, menopause, and oral contraceptives can alter tear production.
Medications – Antihistamines, antidepressants, and beta-blockers often lead to dryness.
Screen time – Staring at screens reduces your blink rate, increasing tear evaporation.
Environmental factors – Wind, dry air, smoke, or air conditioning can dry out the eyes.
Medical conditions – Autoimmune diseases like Sjögren’s syndrome often cause chronic dry eye.
People with dry eyes may experience:
A gritty or sandy sensation
Redness and burning
Blurred vision that improves with blinking
Light sensitivity
Eye fatigue
Pain around the eyes or temples
These symptoms often overlap with those of tension headaches, making the two conditions easy to confuse.
A headache is pain in any region of the head — and it can be sharp, throbbing, dull, or pressure-like. Headaches can be occasional or chronic and range in severity.
Some types of headaches are closely related to your eye health:
Tension headaches – Often caused by muscle strain and poor posture, especially during screen use.
Ocular migraines – Trigger temporary vision loss or flashing lights, sometimes accompanied by pain.
Cluster headaches – Severe, one-sided headaches often behind the eye.
Sinus headaches – Inflammation near the sinuses can create pressure around the eyes.
When you focus on screens, books, or small tasks for long periods, your eye muscles can become strained. This leads to tension around the forehead, temples, and back of the head — classic tension headache territory. Dry eyes worsen this strain because your eyes must work harder to stay moist and focused.
So, do dry eyes actually cause headaches? In many cases, yes — or at least, they significantly contribute to them. Here’s how.
Dry eyes cause micro-inflammation on the cornea (the clear surface of your eye). This inflammation sends distress signals through your trigeminal nerve — the same nerve involved in many headache disorders, including migraines.
Over time, untreated dry eye can increase nerve sensitivity. This hypersensitivity can result in pain being felt more intensely — a condition called neuropathic eye pain. This discomfort may be interpreted by your brain as a headache, even when it’s actually eye-related.
Without adequate moisture, your eyes get tired faster. Blurred vision, constant blinking, and rubbing your eyes leads to visual fatigue, which can then trigger headaches, especially around the forehead and temples.
Dry eyes and headaches don’t just coexist — they often share the same triggers, which means tackling one may help with the other.
Prolonged screen use reduces blinking by up to 60%, drying out your eyes and causing tension in your forehead and temples. This digital strain is a double whammy.
Low humidity, air conditioning, smoke, and wind can dehydrate both your eyes and sinuses. This dryness increases eye irritation and sinus pressure, both of which can contribute to headaches.
Not drinking enough water reduces tear production and leads to headaches. Similarly, poor sleep quality affects tear stability and increases the risk of migraine and tension headaches.
It’s not always easy to tell whether your headache is caused by dry eyes or another condition. However, there are key symptoms that point toward dry eye as the culprit.
Headaches that start after long periods of screen use
Pain centered behind the eyes or across the forehead
Burning, gritty, or red eyes
Temporary vision blurriness
Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
If your headache improves after applying artificial tears or resting your eyes, dry eyes may be playing a major role.
See an eye care specialist if:
Your symptoms persist for more than a week
Over-the-counter drops don’t help
You have frequent headaches with visual changes
You’re experiencing severe pain or redness
An eye exam can rule out other causes and help pinpoint whether dry eyes are a factor.
Pinpointing the root of your symptoms requires a proper diagnosis. Because dry eyes and headaches often overlap, a thorough examination by an eye care professional or neurologist may be needed.
Eye doctors use several tests to diagnose dry eye syndrome:
Schirmer’s Test – Measures tear production by placing a paper strip under your eyelid.
Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT) – Evaluates how long your tear film lasts before it evaporates.
Ocular Surface Staining – Uses dyes like fluorescein to reveal damaged areas of the eye.
These tests help determine the type and severity of dry eye, which can then be correlated to headache patterns.
If your headaches are persistent or severe, your doctor may recommend:
MRI or CT scans – To rule out underlying neurological conditions.
Visual field testing – To ensure no optic nerve damage.
Migraine screening – Especially if you report light sensitivity or aura.
The combination of both ophthalmic and neurologic evaluations can confirm whether dry eye-related discomfort is the likely source of your headaches.
The good news? Treating dry eyes often reduces the frequency and severity of headaches too. Here’s a breakdown of treatment options:
Over-the-counter artificial tears can provide immediate relief. Look for preservative-free options for frequent use. These drops help maintain moisture and reduce inflammation that may contribute to headache symptoms.
Hydration-based drops – Best for mild dry eye
Lipid-based drops – Ideal for evaporative dry eye
Gel drops or ointments – Suitable for nighttime use
In more advanced cases, doctors may recommend:
Cyclosporine (Restasis) – Helps increase tear production
Lifitegrast (Xiidra) – Reduces inflammation on the eye surface
Steroid drops – Short-term use to quickly reduce eye inflammation
Additionally, for headaches, medications like triptans or preventative beta-blockers might be prescribed if migraines are involved.
If you’re into natural approaches, there are several remedies worth trying:
Warm compresses – Improve oil gland function in the eyelids
Omega-3 supplements – Improve tear quality and reduce inflammation
Humidifiers – Add moisture to dry indoor air
Eyelid hygiene – Helps treat blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction
Combining these treatments often leads to improvements in both dry eyes and related headaches.
Prevention is always better than cure. Here’s how you can keep both issues at bay:
It sounds simple, but blinking regularly — especially when using digital devices — can significantly reduce tear evaporation. Use the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
These glasses help filter out harmful blue light from screens, reducing both eye strain and the risk of headaches. Many users report fewer symptoms after switching to them, especially for long workdays.
Dehydration is a silent trigger for both headaches and dry eyes. Aim for at least 8 glasses of water a day, and schedule breaks from your screen every hour. Short walks, stretching, or eye exercises can be very effective.
Changing your day-to-day habits can bring long-term relief.
Dry indoor air can worsen both symptoms. Here’s how to improve it:
Use a humidifier, especially in winter
Avoid fans blowing directly at your face
Add houseplants that naturally increase humidity
Adjust your screen to eye level and maintain a safe viewing distance
Use dark mode or screen filters
Reduce screen glare with anti-reflective coatings on your glasses
Omega-3 fatty acids – Found in flaxseeds, fish oil, walnuts
Vitamin A – Crucial for corneal health (carrots, leafy greens)
Hydrating fruits and veggies – Cucumbers, oranges, and watermelon
Eating a balanced, eye-friendly diet helps reduce dryness and supports long-term vision clarity.
Sometimes, dry eyes and headaches are part of a larger issue. Don’t ignore persistent or severe symptoms.
Conditions that may cause both symptoms include:
Sjogren’s Syndrome
Lupus
Rheumatoid arthritis
Thyroid dysfunction
In these cases, your immune system mistakenly attacks moisture-producing glands, leading to chronic dry eye and systemic inflammation that triggers headaches.
Some migraines, especially ocular or retinal migraines, cause temporary vision disturbances and are directly linked to the nerves in and around the eyes. If you’ve ruled out dry eye as the only cause, a neurologist can provide more insights.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of dry eyes or frequent headaches, a professional eye exam is the first step toward lasting relief. At House of Eyes, located in South Brunswick Township, NJ, we specialize in comprehensive eye care tailored to your unique vision needs — including diagnosis and management of dry eye syndrome.
Our experienced team conducts thorough eye exams that go beyond just checking your vision. We assess your tear film quality, eyelid health, and other factors that contribute to dry eye, ensuring we pinpoint the exact cause of your discomfort. Whether your symptoms are triggered by screen time, contact lenses, or underlying conditions, we’re here to help you see clearly and feel better.
We also offer a curated selection of independent eyewear brands known for their quality craftsmanship and ethical sourcing. If you’re sensitive to dry environments, our designer glasses and prescription sunglasses can be customized with coatings that reduce glare and digital eye strain — a common trigger for both dry eyes and headaches.
Want something more personal? We create custom glasses with unique shapes and colors that reflect your individual style. And if you wear contacts, we carry top-tier contact lens brands that prioritize comfort and moisture retention.
At House of Eyes, we believe in delivering affordable eye care without sacrificing quality — because you deserve the best for your eyes.
Indirectly, yes. If dry eyes are contributing to eye strain and tension headaches, lubricating eye drops can offer significant relief by reducing inflammation and discomfort.
It can be. Many people who suffer from migraines report dry eyes as a co-occurring symptom, often due to shared neurological pathways and photophobia.
They can last anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the severity of dryness and exposure to triggers like screen time or dry air.
Sometimes. While often mild, persistent dry eyes may indicate autoimmune disorders, hormonal imbalances, or medication side effects. A thorough eye exam can help identify the cause.
Yes, especially if they have anti-reflective or blue light coatings. Specialty glasses can help reduce eye strain and improve comfort during screen use.
Start with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. If your symptoms persist, a neurologist or rheumatologist may be consulted to explore systemic or nerve-related causes.
Dry eyes and headaches often go hand-in-hand, sharing causes like screen time, dehydration, and poor air quality. The key to long-term relief is not just treating the pain, but addressing the underlying factors that are affecting your eyes and nervous system. With the right diagnosis, consistent eye care, and lifestyle adjustments, you can reclaim clarity and comfort — without the pounding pressure.
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