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Are your Dry Eyes Making you Look Old?

Oct 02, 2019
 
This past weekend I attended a conference. I think I shared with you a month or so ago about how I love to spend time with other dry eye experts. So, when I get the chance to be in the room with 30 or more experts my excitement rises.
 
If you don’t remember the day I spent with an ocular plastic surgeon, Dr. Bryan Vekovius, you can revisit the blog here.
 
This time, I spent the day with Drs. Melissa and Rolando Toyos.  This powerhouse couple consists of one of the world's most prolific dry eye experts, Rolando Toyos, M. D., and Biochemist and oculoplastic surgeon, Melissa Toyos, M. D.  
 
These two experts shared their knowledge and their latest research to a room packed with dry eye experts from around the world. There were doctors from Europe,...
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Want to Write a Book?

Sep 21, 2019
 

Have you ever thought about writing a book?  Joseph Epstein, “81 percent of Americans feel that they have a book in them — and should write it.”  It makes it sound like there are many aspiring authors out there.  So, I thought I would share a little bit about my journey to being an author. 

The book that I have published is actually not the book that I have dreamed about publishing for decades.  So, maybe there is still another book in me.  I can understand that many of you may have a dream of a book in your mind, or maybe 5 books.  I wanted to share with you 3 tools you need to write a book.

 Tool #1 - Know How to Write a Book

I used an online program.  They took me through the process step by...

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Which doctor is best to treatment my dry eyes?

Sep 18, 2019
 
Who is the better doctor for treating your dry eye symptoms? Would it be an ophthalmologist or an optometrist?  I’m sure at this stage you are curious to know who in your community is would be the best at treating dry eyes.  And, maybe you are confused about the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist.  Aren't they both eye doctors?  Is there really a difference?
 
Yes, there is a difference. Optometrists (OD) are doctors to have a significant portion of their training in studying vision.  They are the experts when you want to improve your eyesight with glasses or contacts lenses.  They also prescribe medications to treat diseases and do some medical procedures.
 
Ophthalmologists (MD) have had a significant portion of their...
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3 Worst Things Dry Eye Sufferers do with their Contact Lenses

Sep 10, 2019
 

My patients will sometimes tell me that they can’t wear contact lenses because their eyes are too dry.  There have been tons of innovations in both contact lenses and contact lens care in recent years.  For the most part, the idea that you can't wear contact lenses when you have dry eyes is a myth.  

Sometimes, not being able to wear contact lenses will be a short period of time while you are undergoing dry eye treatment is true for a short while.  But, my goal is always to find a way to get my patients back into contact lenses or have some kind of refractive surgery, if they are a good candidate - read this blog here.  Some patients do need to take breaks from their contact lenses because of years of abuse they have put their eyes through. ...

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The 3 Worst Things you do with your Mascara

Sep 04, 2019
 
As an eye doctor, I get up close and personal with women's eye makeup every day.  I routinely use a microscope to examine the eye.  This can make the eyelashes about 20 times bigger than the way you see them in a regular mirror.
 
The horrors I see on people's eyelids are incredible.  Makeup caked up into the lashes and in the corner of the eye is only the tip of the iceberg.  That built-up gunk leads to inflammation, irritation, and infection over time.
 
Here are the three biggest beauty blunders I see women committing with their mascara:

1. Sleeping with it

Not removing your eye makeup at the end of the day is one of the worst things you can do for your sensitive eyes.  After all, you wouldn't go to bed without brushing your teeth, right?  The...
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Are my eyes too dry for LASIK?

Aug 28, 2019
 
I have dry eyes, can I still have LASIK? This is a question I’ve been asked quite often as an eye care professional.  I myself have dry eyes, but I also have had refractive surgery. The key to having a successful refractive surgery is knowing that you have dry eyes ahead of the surgery.
 

What is Refractive Surgery?

 
The word refraction refers to the fact that you need to wear a prescription to see your best, 20/20.  Refractive surgery then refers to any surgery which helps you to achieve better vision without wearing an external vision correction like glasses or contact lenses.  
 
RK or radial keratotomy is a refractive surgery that was once popular but is no longer being performed.  RK does not offer results as stable as LASIK and is no...
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Healthy Contact Lens Week

Aug 20, 2019
 
This week is Healthy Contact Lens Week, August 19 - 23. The CDC, Center for Disease Control, wants you to remember three things about contact lens care. If you have ever had an eye infection you will understand that keeping your eyes healthy truly is the most important thing in life.  Having an eye infection can completely stop you in your tracks.
 
 

Tip 1: Revitalize your Eyes

 
Contact lens wear, when done responsibly, can be easy and comfortable.  Contact lenses need to be part of your vision correction plan, not the entirety of it.  You must have a pair of glasses, even if they are not the greatest pair.  Your eyes need a break from wearing contact lenses every day.  Do not sleep in your contact lenses.  
 
If you have read my...
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3 Tips I learned from an Oculoplastic Surgeon

Aug 13, 2019
 
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.
 

Tip 1: Dry Eye Treatment should include  Eye Lid Treatment

 
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...
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Do prescription dry eye medications really work?

Aug 06, 2019
 

If you have seen an eye doctor for your dry eye complaints in the last 3 years, then probably your doctor has explained to you the benefits of using a prescription dry eye medication.  In my book, Alleviate Dry Eye, I advocate a 4 step treatment process.  All four arms of the treatment need to be addressed for your personalized treatment plant to be successful.

The four parts of a complete dry eye treatment plan are to tackle: inflammation, biofilm, obstruction, and tear film.  Prescription dry eye medications reduce the inflammation component of your dry eye symptoms.  To see the chart of all 4 parts of the In-office and Prescription Treatment options, please look at Table 2.1 in the book, or download the workbook that accompanies the book for free here.  You...

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The 5 Worst Things To Put On Your Eyes

Jul 29, 2019
 
Technology is evolving constantly.  And, medicine is evolving at a faster rate than ever before.  Because of this, there are products and practices that we eye doctors used to recommend to our patients, that we now know are not beneficial. 
 
Today, I will reveal five things your eye doctor may have told you to use that are bad for dry eye sufferers.  I'm sorry to say that we just didn't know any better.  But, now that we do, I need you to change some of your habits around.  Let's get to it.
 
 
 
 
Baby Shampoo
 
I always feel bad when a patient tells me that they use baby shampoo to clean their eyes.  I know that an eye doctor told them to do it.  Even as early as five years ago,  I also told my patients to...
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