Can children really have dry eye?

Yes — lid-margin disease, allergy and heavy near work make it increasingly common, and kids compensate silently rather than complain.

My teen quit contacts after a month. Dry eye?

Very often — lens dropout at that age is usually tear-film instability, and treating the surface typically restores comfortable wear.

Are drops safe for kids?

Preservative-free lubricants are gentle and appropriate; anything stronger is prescribed to the exam findings, not by default.

What are the signs of dry eyes in children?

The signs are mostly in behavior, because a child may not mention a problem. Frequent rubbing or blinking, holding screens and books close, avoiding reading, or stopping new contact lenses without saying why can all point to an eye problem such as dryness. On the lids you may see red, swollen rims or crusty lashes on waking, signs of blepharitis (eyelid inflammation), which can also bring burning, watery eyes, light sensitivity, blurry vision and styes. In severe cases it can harm the cornea, so light sensitivity or blur that lingers deserves an exam soon.

Can screen time cause dry eyes in kids?

Yes. Long screen sessions can bring dry eyes, blurred vision and headaches, the symptoms of computer vision syndrome (digital eye strain), and many of them fade once the screen time stops. Simple habits help: every 20 minutes, look about 20 feet away for 20 seconds; blink often, which keeps the eye's surface moist; keep the screen about 20 to 28 inches from the eyes; and run a humidifier if your home is dry. Our plan starts with the same habits. If the rubbing and hard blinking continue away from screens, an exam checks the lids and oil glands.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Bijan Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed October 24, 2026

Dry Eye in Children & Teens

The blinking generation, not blinking enough.

Dry eye used to be an adult’s diagnosis. Screen hours, allergy seasons, early contact lens wear and lid-margin disease have changed that — and children rarely say “my tear film is unstable.” They rub, blink hard, and quit reading early. Here is what to watch and what we do.

Book appointmentOr call 310-828-2010 Accepted insurance

A kid mid-homework, lamp on, screen bright

The tells: Rubbing, hard blinking, red rims
The drivers: Screens, allergy, lenses, lids
The exam: Gentle, gland-aware, kid-paced
The fix: Habits + targeted treatment

What parents actually see

Kids don’t report symptoms. They show them.

Rubbing eyes through homework or after school
Exaggerated, squeezing blinks: the reset move of an unstable tear film
Red lid margins, crusty lashes, morning stickiness
Watery eyes in wind: reflex tears over a dry surface
Shrinking reading stamina; screens pulled ever closer
New contact lens wearers who quietly quit wearing them

Hard blinking and rubbing in an allergy-season child is the classic combination. In a keratoconus-risk family, the rubbing matters twice.

The plan

Gentle work-up, family-sized fixes.

01
Look at the lids first
Blepharitis and gland congestion drive most pediatric dryness; the slit lamp tells quickly and needs no drops.
02
Sort allergy from dryness
Itch points to allergy, burn points to tear film. Most kids carry some of both, and the treatments differ.
03
Fix the day
Blink breaks, screen distance, outdoor time and a humidifier beat any single drop at this age.
04
Treat what remains
Preservative-free tears, lid hygiene, allergy drops when earned, and gland care in the stubborn minority.

Why it matters

Comfortable eyes read more.

Dry, tired eyes shrink homework stamina and screen tolerance
Allergy-driven rubbing is a keratoconus risk factor in the vulnerable
Teen contact lens dropouts are usually fixable tear-film problems
Every pediatric exam here screens the lids and tear film

Book a pediatric evaluation

Common questions

Dry eye in kids, answered.

Anything else, call the office at 310-828-2010.

Yes — lid-margin disease, allergy and heavy near work make it increasingly common, and kids compensate silently rather than complain.
Very often — lens dropout at that age is usually tear-film instability, and treating the surface typically restores comfortable wear.
Preservative-free lubricants are gentle and appropriate; anything stronger is prescribed to the exam findings, not by default.
The signs are mostly in behavior, because a child may not mention a problem. Frequent rubbing or blinking, holding screens and books close, avoiding reading, or stopping new contact lenses without saying why can all point to an eye problem such as dryness. On the lids you may see red, swollen rims or crusty lashes on waking, signs of blepharitis (eyelid inflammation), which can also bring burning, watery eyes, light sensitivity, blurry vision and styes. In severe cases it can harm the cornea, so light sensitivity or blur that lingers deserves an exam soon.
Yes. Long screen sessions can bring dry eyes, blurred vision and headaches, the symptoms of computer vision syndrome (digital eye strain), and many of them fade once the screen time stops. Simple habits help: every 20 minutes, look about 20 feet away for 20 seconds; blink often, which keeps the eye's surface moist; keep the screen about 20 to 28 inches from the eyes; and run a humidifier if your home is dry. Our plan starts with the same habits. If the rubbing and hard blinking continue away from screens, an exam checks the lids and oil glands.

Dry eye in kids near you

12222 Wilshire Blvd, on the Santa Monica border.

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Next step

A rubbing, blinking, book-avoiding kid?

One gentle visit with an eye doctor in Los Angeles sorts allergy from dryness and sets a family-sized plan.

Book a visit Or call 310-828-2010