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If your eyes sting and burn, look red, or feel gritty -- as if some sand is stuck in them -- you may have dry eye. This condition can happen when the tiny glands in and around your eyelids don't make enough tears to keep your peepers healthy and vision clear.
When tears do their job well, they keep the surface of the eye smooth, comfortable, and hydrated, and wash away dust and debris and protect it from infection. Healthy eyes make tears all day, every day, to stay moist.

But sometimes certain diseases, medications, or even just getting older causes your eyes to make fewer tears. Dry eye can also happen when your eyes don't make the right type of tears to clear out particles or keep the surface well-lubricated.
What you do to make your baby blues, browns, or greens more comfortable depends on what's causing your dry eyes.

To help ease irritation and loosen the flakes, wet a clean washcloth with warm water, wring it out, and place it over your closed eye for at least a minute. Gently press the edge of your eyelid with your finger to help squeeze out the clogged oils. The moist heat helps loosen up the clogged oils in the glands. Wet the cloth often, so it stays warm. You may need warm compresses every day to help lower inflammation, even after your eyes feel better.