Dry eye disease affects millions of people and causes burning, redness and eye fatigue that can worsen over time. Scientists have discovered that the cause of the problem may be deep inside the tear glands, where the vital process of cleaning the cells does not work properly. By growing miniature human tear glands from stem cells, scientists could observe what happens when this system goes awry. When the cell cleansing process is disrupted, there are fewer protective tears and increased cell damage. This hidden breakdown of cells in the lacrimal glands may be a key factor in the development of dry eye disease. Research suggests that understanding this mechanism could lead to new approaches in the treatment of this widespread disease.