AIM:To investigate the dry eye’s onset, clinical manifestations and diagnosis. METHODS: The 50 patients with suspected dry eye in our hospital from October 2008 to October 2009 were collected, medical history and symptoms were collected, regular and special eye’s examinations were performed. RESULTS: The clinical diagnosis of dry eye was in 41 cases 72 eyes, of which, aged ≥ 55 years old in 32 cases, including mixed-type dry eye in 28 cases, over evaporation in 3 cases, aqueous tear deficiency (ATD) in 1 case; aged <55 in years old in 9 cases, including mixed-type dry eye in 1 case, over evaporation in 6 cases, water liquid type in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: The symptoms are one of the most important indicators in the dry eye patients. While, there are a number of dry eye diagnostic methods, it is better to take variety of clinical measurements together in diagnosis of dry eye.