Recently, I had the honor of visiting with a friend of mine in his office.  Dr. Bryan Vekovius is an oculoplastic surgeon in Shreveport, Louisiana.  Here are three of the tips he taught me about dry eyes.

 

 

Dry eye is not a lack of water disease.  As an eyelid specialist, Dr. Vekovius explained that dry eye is caused mostly from dysfunction in our eyelids.  The oils produced inside the lids should be excreted into the tear film upon blinking.  When the oil gland is not producing enough oil, or the oil not being released from the lids, the end result is dry eyes.

 

That is why in my four-step process for treating dry eye two of the steps deal with the eyelids.  It is important to cleanse the lids daily. We do not want to use any soaps on the lids.  Use only the recommended cleansers.  My two favorites are HypoChlor cleansing spray and Foaming tea tree oil cleanser from We Love Eyes. 

HypoChlor Spray                      We Love Eyes Tea Tree Cleanser

 

The second step that concentrates treatment on the eyelids in my four-step dry eye treatment process is using warm compresses. Warm compresses help to melt the oil trapped in the eyelids. It is important to also massage the lids after that warm compresses complete to ensure the oil is being expressed from the oil glands. 

 

 

 

The eyelids are the thinnest skin of the entire body. Our skin is our bod's biggest organ.  And, our skin absorbs anything placed on it.  Some of these things can be very beneficial to our skin, like moisturizers and sunscreens.  These are important to apply to our skin to keep it healthy.

 

Since eyelid skin is the thinnest in the body, makeup, makeup removers, and eye creams are readily absorbed through the skin and released into our bloodstream.

 

It is important to ensure the ingredients in these products are not full of toxins and irritants.  Please download my guide to the top toxins we should avoid in these products here.

 

Many of us are annoyed by the excess skin we have on our upper eyelids, which can worsen with age.  Surgery can be performed to remove the excess heavy skin on both the upper and lower lids.  In the hands of a skilled surgeon, your eyes can look whiter and brighter again.  With the excess skin eliminated, your eye is able to open more easily and appear more beautiful.

 

If you are thinking about an eyelid lift for yourself.  Please make sure you research your surgeon carefully. If you are here in the Shreveport area, Dr. Bryan Vekovius is my first choice.  Here are some of the results he delivers for eyelid lifts:

 

In this patient, the left eye drooped significantly.  After surgery, they are a matching pair.

 

 

This patient had a more typical procedure where the eyelids of both eyes needed to be raised.  The results are outstanding.

  

 

 

So there you have it, the three tips I learned by visiting and oculoplastic surgeon.  Now you know what Dr. T does in her free time. She hangs out with other dry eye specialists.  Thanks again for tuning in this week.  I can’t wait to talk to you again next week.

 

Until then, remember dry, scratchy, gritty eyes don’t need to hold you back from doing the things you love in life.  A customized treatment plan is the best way to alleviate your symptoms because you deserve clear, comfortable vision.