Why are my eyes dry when I wake up?

Do your eyes feel dry, sore, or sticky when you wake up?
This is a very common problem. Many people wake up with dry eyes, even if their eyes feel fine later in the day.

Dry eyes in the morning can make it hard to start your day.
You may notice:

• Gritty eyes
• Burning
• Stinging
• Blurry vision
• Trouble opening your eyes
• Watery eyes (even though they are dry)

In this blog, we explain why your eyes may feel dry when you wake up, what causes it, and what you can do to feel better.

What causes morning dry eye?

Dry eyes in the morning happen for many reasons.
Here are the most common ones:

1. Sleeping with your eyes slightly open

Many people sleep with their eyelids not fully closed.
This is called nocturnal lagophthalmos.
You may not even know you’re doing it.

If your eyes stay partly open during sleep, tears dry out fast.
This leaves the surface of the eye dry and sore when you wake up.

Signs you may sleep with your eyes open:

• Your eyes feel dry right away in the morning
• Your partner says your eyes are slightly open
• Your eyelids feel tight or weak
• Light bothers you when you first wake up

2. Low tear production at night

Your eyes make fewer tears when you sleep.
This is normal, but if your tear glands already struggle, you may wake up with dryness.

Some people naturally make fewer tears because of:

• Age
• Certain medications
• Hormone changes
• Health conditions

This makes morning dryness more likely.

3. Poor tear quality

Your tears are made of three layers:

• Water
• Oil
• Mucus

If the oil layer is weak, tears dry too fast.
This is often caused by blocked glands in your eyelids.
These glands make the oil that keeps your tears smooth and stable.

When they get blocked, your tears evaporate during the night.
This can make your eyes dry and sore when you wake up.

4. Sleeping near a fan, heater, or air conditioner

Dry air makes tears dry quickly.
If you sleep with:

• A fan
• Central heating
• Air conditioning
• A warm radiator
• A humidifier turned off

…it can make morning dryness worse.

People often wake up with irritated eyes in winter because indoor heating dries out the air.

5. Allergies

If you have allergies, your eyes may become dry and inflamed overnight.
Dust mites and pet dander in the bedroom can also make symptoms worse.

You may wake up with:

• Itchy eyes
• Redness
• Watering
• Puffy eyelids

Allergies can change the tear film and lead to morning dryness.

6. Contact lens use

Wearing contact lenses during the day can make your eyes dry when you wake up, even if you remove them before bed.

Why?
Dry eyes can be a result of:

• Irritation from lenses
• Lack of oxygen to the cornea
• Long screen days

This dryness may show up most clearly in the morning when your eyes have not been blinking for hours.

Never sleep in contact lenses unless they are made for overnight use.

7. Incomplete blinking

Blinking spreads tears over your eyes.
But at night, you don’t blink at all.
If your tear film is already unstable, it breaks down during sleep.

This makes the eyes feel dry, gritty, or stuck when you wake.

8. Blepharitis

Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids.
It can cause:

• Crusty lashes
• Burning
• Soreness
• Gritty eyes

It can also block the oil glands that help protect your tears.
Many people with blepharitis wake up with dry or irritated eyes.

9. Sleep quality

Poor sleep can affect tear production.
People with sleep issues, like sleep apnoea, often wake with dry, sore eyes.

Masks for sleep apnoea (CPAP masks) can also push air toward the eyes and make them dry.

10. Medications

Some medications reduce tear production, including:

• Antihistamines
• Antidepressants
• Blood pressure medicines
• Hormone treatments

If you take these at night, dryness may be worse in the morning.

What morning dry eye feels like

You may have:

• A gritty feeling
• Burning
• Soreness
• A feeling like something is stuck
• Blurry vision that gets better with blinking
• Watering
• Sticky eyes
• Redness

Symptoms may improve as the day goes on, but the morning discomfort still means something is not right.

How to treat dry eyes when you wake up

The right treatment depends on what’s causing the dryness.
Here are the most effective ways to help your eyes feel better:

1. Use lubricating eye drops before bed and after waking

Preservative-free drops help keep the eye moist.
Gel drops last longer through the night.

2. Use a warm compress

A warm compress:

• Opens blocked oil glands
• Improves tear quality
• Reduces irritation

Use it for 5–10 minutes before bed.

3. Add moisture to your bedroom

Try:

• A humidifier
• Turning the heating down
• Sleeping away from fans or vents

Moist air helps protect tears overnight.

4. Clean your eyelids daily

Lid cleaning can help with:

• Blepharitis
• Blocked glands
• Dust or debris

Cleaner lids support better tear quality.

5. Check your CPAP mask (if you use one)

Air leaking from the mask can dry your eyes.
Small adjustments can make a big difference.

6. Adjust contact lens habits

Switch to:

• Daily lenses
• Lenses made for dry eyes

Or take a short break from lenses if needed.

7. Try nighttime eye protection

Eye masks or moisture goggles can help keep your eyes closed and protected while you sleep.

What if the dryness is getting worse?

If your morning dryness keeps coming back, it may be a sign of:

• Blocked eyelid glands
• Poor tear film
• Inflammation
• Blepharitis
• Hormone changes
• Chronic dry eye disease

At My Eye Clinic, we can check your tear film and eyelid glands to find the cause and create a treatment plan designed just for you.

Advanced treatments at My Eye Clinic

We offer modern dry eye treatments, including:

IPL Therapy

Reduces inflammation and supports healthy tears.

BlephEx®

A deep clean for your eyelids.

Prescription eye drops

To help with inflammation and tear production.

These treatments go beyond basic eye drops and help fix the root cause of morning dryness.

Take our dry eye suitability self-test

Not sure why your eyes feel dry when you wake up?
Take our quick and easy dry eye suitability self-test to find out if a full dry eye assessment could help.