this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2026
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Science Memes

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[–] GreatTitEnthusiast@mander.xyz 13 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

The other commenters are well meaning but don't really know what they're talking about. I have chronic dry eye from staring at screens too much (remember to blink!). My tear ducts have gotten overworked and started to produce thicker, gunkier, tears which blocked them and cause styes. I've lost a bunch of my tear ducts. Once they're gone they don't grow back.

These little mites eat the gunk my eyes produce and, when they get overpopulated, leave a ton of gunk on your eye. It's called blepharitis

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/demodex-blepharitis

I've had it so bad that I've had trouble opening my eyes in the morning. There's a relatively new eyedrop that clears them out. Combining that with hot dye compresses and lid scrubs have helped keep them under control and has drastically increased my eyelid health

I hope that helps answer your question

[–] Sylvartas@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

How many years of staring at screens did it take, if you don't mind me asking ?

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 6 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

It must be a personal issue because I have been a screen starer for 35-40 years and don't have this issue. One of my kids got itz and the remedy was morning and night eye washing.

[–] GreatTitEnthusiast@mander.xyz 4 points 10 hours ago

The doctors say it's common for screen starers. It's certainly not going to be everyone but I've been playing video games/using the computer heavily since I was a kid

My doctor's practically predicted I was a programmer when they saw the problems I was having with styes and dry eyes

https://www.trieyecare.com/dry-eye-optometrist/electronic-devices-and-dry-eye/

[–] GreatTitEnthusiast@mander.xyz 2 points 10 hours ago

I've been using computers heavily for over 2 decades

https://www.trieyecare.com/dry-eye-optometrist/electronic-devices-and-dry-eye/

My eye doctors have impressed on me the importance of eye lid health and hot eye compresses. They say everyone should do it twice a day

I'm not sure if I'd go as far as to reccomend that (plenty of people do fine without it) but my eyes get gunky FAST if I skip hot eye compresses