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I blinked at this woman, so many times my eyes almost dried (out) completely.

I searched on Google and I found both instances:

My eyes almost dried out completely and were more bloodshot than they'd ever been, mild visual hallucinations but mainly auditory.

... or hsv I got up in the mid night with my eyes almost dried. Out of lazyness to see the time I took my saliva n spread in my eyeballs to lubricate.

Are both options correct? Or only one?

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  • That second sentence was written by a person who is not a native speaker. It is not idiomatic English.
    – TimR
    Commented Nov 5, 2017 at 13:53
  • I doubt many people use "almost dried" in this context. "dry eyes" has more of a medical context. Referencing tears would be better. Perhaps "my tears almost ran out"?
    – user3169
    Commented Nov 5, 2017 at 19:37
  • There is dry-eyed but the meaning is different.
    – user3169
    Commented Nov 5, 2017 at 19:40

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The phrasal verb "dry out" suggests completeness, it is often used (for example) of laundry. It can suggest a return to "proper" dryness, from a state of dampness or moistness. But as your example shows, both dry and dry out are used of eyes.

You could use either dry or dry out; it is up to you. I would use "dry out", since it goes with "completely"

I find your sentence a little odd, since blinking wets they eyes. When your eyes are dry, you blink to make them wet again.

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