A simple, practical guide for living with electronic screens, air-conditioning and haze.
Dry eye is common, treatable and often caused by more than one everyday factor.
It often starts at the end of a long day:
Your eyes feel tired. They sting or burn. You may rub them because they feel gritty - yet strangely, they may also water. Vision can become slightly blurred and then clear again after a few blinks.
For many Malaysians, this is a familiar pattern. We move between hot outdoor weather and cool air-conditioned rooms, spend hours looking at phones and other electronic screens, and at times have to cope with haze and polluted air. All of these can disturb the thin layer of tears that protects the front of the eye.
"WHY HAZE CAN MAKE YOUR EYES FEEL WORSE" Many people notice more stinging, grittiness or watering when the air is hazy. Smoke, dust and air pollution can irritate the eye surface and worsen existing dry-eye symptoms. Malaysia has experienced widespread unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings since September 2026. On hazy days, reduce unnecessary exposure, avoid rubbing your eyes and consider cleaner indoor air with an air purifier. Wrap-around glasses may also help outdoors. |
What is actually happening?
Dry eye does not simply mean that your eyes do not make enough tears. Your tears may be poor quality, may evaporate too quickly or may not spread properly across the eye. The oil-producing meibomian glands along the eyelids are especially important because their oil slows evaporation.
This is why dry eyes can sometimes cause watery eyes. An irritated dry eye can produce a rush of watery reflex tearing but these tears do not always correct the underlying tear-film problem.
Why does it happen?
Modern life provides plenty of triggers. Long periods using electronic screens reduce blinking. Air-conditioning, fans, wind, smoke and haze increase evaporation. Contact lenses, eye make-up, blepharitis and blocked eyelid oil glands can contribute. Dry eye also becomes more common with age and may be associated with medicines such as antihistamines or antidepressants, autoimmune conditions such as Sjögren’s syndrome and previous eye surgery.
Start simple - small changes often help
Think about what your eyes experience during the day. If you work at an electronic screen, take regular breaks and make a conscious effort to blink fully. Keep fans and air-conditioner vents from blowing directly into your face. A humidifier may help in very dry indoor environments.
Lubricating eye drops (artificial tears) are the usual first step. If you need them frequently, ask your pharmacist, optometrist or eye doctor whether a preservative-free preparation would suit you. Thicker gels or ointments can be useful at night for some people.
If the eyelid oil glands are part of the problem, a warm compress for about 5-10 minutes, followed by gentle lid massage and lid hygiene, can help release trapped oils and improve tear quality. If contact lenses clearly worsen your symptoms, reduce wear for a while and have the lenses and cleaning routine reviewed.
A SIMPLE 'COMFORT' ROUTINE Morning: warm compress if your lids feel oily or crusty. |
When simple treatment is not enough
Dry eye is not one single disease, so treatment works best when the cause is identified. An eye doctor may examine the tear film, the surface of the eye and the eyelid oil glands. For persistent or severe disease, an eye doctor may consider anti-inflammatory drops, punctal plugs or thermal and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction. Some severe cases need specialist treatments such as serum eye drops.
DON'T JUST PUT UP WITH IT If your eyes remain uncomfortable despite simple measures, please see an eye doctor. Seek earlier assessment if there is marked pain, strong light sensitivity, persistent redness mainly in one eye, discharge or a sudden change in vision. These symptoms may be caused by something other than routine dry eye. |
Selected references:
Wolffsohn JS et al. TFOS DEWS III: Diagnostic Methodology.
Am J Ophthalmol. 2025.Jones L et al. TFOS DEWS III Management and Therapy Report.
Am J Ophthalmol. 2025.Stapleton F et al. TFOS DEWS III Digest Report.
Am J Ophthalmol. 2025.RNIB / Royal College of Ophthalmologists. Understanding Dry Eye.
2025.Malay Mail / Bernama. Malaysia haze and API update, 19 Sep 2026.
This article was contributed by Dr Wilson Ch’ng Soon Wai, Consultant Ophthalmologist of Eagle Eye Centre Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with Lockton Sime Malaysia Insurance Brokers Sdn Bhd to mark World Sight Day on 8 October 2026.