We are talking about three myths about dry eye disease. This blog is dedicated to Myth #2: "All dry eye drops are the same." New patients come in to see me all the time and say, "I've tried everything out there." This basically means that they went to the drugstore, and they picked up Visine and one other generic artificial tear. They tell me they tried them both. Their eyes felt great for about five minutes, but returned to the same level of dryness right away.

Even when talking about products that you can buy at the drugstore, not all dry eye drops are the same. There are 3 types of over-the-counter (OTC) products.

 #1) Artificial Tears

In fact, even the ones that you get over the counter are different. You can go to the drugstore and buy artificial tears. If they come in a bottle, th...

Let's talk about treating your dry eyes when you hate taking eye drops. I have lots of patients in my office that just don't like taking drops. Or, perhaps it's hard for them to use drops because they have arthritis and can't squeeze the bottles, or their handshake too much.  It turns out there are several alternatives to your dry eye treatment that don't require putting drops in your eyes. 

If you have dry eyes, I always advocate taking 4-simple steps every day to treat your dry eyes. These steps are: hydrate, harmonize, heat, and heal.

1. Hydrate: Using something to help produce more tears in your eyes to lubricate them.
2. Harmonize: Removing bacteria and biofilm from your lids and lashes.
3. Heat: Using a warm compress to heat up the meibomian gland that live in the eyelids and relea
...

This week's blog is a continuation of the discussion I had with Dr. Pavly Moawad.  A. Pavly Moawad, MD, MRCSEd(Ophth), FICO is a Lecturer and Consultant Ophthalmologist at Cairo University Hospital in Egypt. In her ophthalmology practice she specializes in seeing patients with Sjogren's Syndrome. She has graciously agreed to share her vast knowledge on the subject of Sjogren's Syndrome with my readers.

In honor of World Sjogren's Day, July 23, 2022, I wanted to take a deeper dive into the types of Sjogren's Syndrome.  And, give some tips on treating dry eye disease in relation to Sjogren's Syndrome.  If you missed the other two posts about Sjogren's Syndrome, please review the symptoms of Sjogren's Syndrome in this blog and how to treat dry eye disease in patients with Sjogren's Syndrome ...

Digital devices play a huge role in causing and exacerbating dry eye symptoms.  Unfortunately, for most of you, digital device use is an important part of how we earn your living.  You could not do your job without staring at a digital screen of some kind each day.  Eliminate Digital Eye Strain using this guide.

Optometrist and inventor, Dr. Sharmin Habib, has developed an amazing device to help you not only rest your eyes.  But, the device also stimulates tear production and cues you to meditate.  What an awesome tool to use to soothe your tired eyes.

I have a device I've been able to utilize at home for about a month now.  The device is available for patients to pre-order now though.  It's super exciting. And, I want to tell you all about it.

Convenient Dry Eye Relief:

• Fully ad...

If you have dry eyes, it's important to understand why CLEAN makeup is so important for your eyes and body.  Check out some of the basic ideas around Clean makeup in this blog, and listen to a true Clean beauty expert weigh in on the importance of these products.  Switching to wearing CLEAN makeup you can prevent both eye irritation and wrinkles!!! 

Now that you're fired up about the importance of using Clean Makeup, let's review the three best clean makeup products for sensitive eyes in 2022.  If you feel like your makeup makes your eyes red and irritated, then switching out a few products will be well worth your time. 

I certainly understand how you feel.  Just a few years ago, I was in your shoes too. I was embarrassed that my eye makeup would run down my face by the end of the workda...

This week's blog is a continuation of the discussion I had with Dr. Pavly Moawad.  A. Pavly Moawad, MD, MRCSEd(Ophth), FICO is a Lecturer and Consultant Ophthalmologist at Cairo University Hospital in Egypt. In her ophthalmology practice she specializes in seeing patients with Sjogren's Syndrome. She has graciously agreed to share her vast knowledge on the subject of Sjogren's Syndrome with my readers.

In this part of the interview, I wanted to highlight how the eye doctor can determine whether you should be further evaluated for Sjogren's Syndrome, and the best treatment options for these patients.

Is there an Eye Exam to Determine Sjogren's Syndrome?

Sjogren's Syndrome attacks the glands that make secretions like tears and saliva.  So, the best test to determine if a patient has Sjogr...

I am honored to have a special guest with me, Dr. A Pavly Moawad, MD, MRCSEd(Ophth), FICO. She is a Lecturer and Consultant Ophthalmologist at Cairo University Hospital in Egypt. In her ophthalmology practice she specializes in seeing patients with Sjogren's Syndrome. 

What is Sjogren's Syndrome?

Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease. The main characteristics are dryness in the eyes, mouth, skin, and vagina.  Sjogren's syndrome attacks the glands that make secretions which lubricate our different parts of our body. But, the main two organs are the eyes and mouth. 

How is Sjogren's syndrome defined?

• Using lubricating eye drops more than three times per day
• Experiencing these symptoms more than three months
• Also has dry mouth

What's the next step in a Sjogren's Diagnosis?

These days, there are lots of beauty trends focused around eyelash length.  It seems to be, the longer the length the more glamourous or more beautiful.  As women, we may want to follow the fad.  But when you suffer from dry eyes, is it safe to follow it?

What is the ideal eyelash length?

Eyelashes play and important role in protecting the eye.  ​Length is important. Your natural length is designed to suit the level of the brow bone. They are intended to deflect wind, debris, and allergens.  Lashes that are too long can be just as detrimental to your eyes as lashes that are too short.  

The actual ideal lash length is one third of the width of your eye.  This is the best length to ensure your eyes are properly protected.

​How does the mascara lengthen the lashes?

There are 2 ways to a...

This week, I'm going to talk to you about something that probably, you never thought someone from Louisiana would teach you about.  It's something called snow blindness.  It can occur when you go outdoors and you enjoy yourself for the day when there's snow on the ground and you didn't protect your eyes properly.

When we go outdoors on a cold day I'm sure you've put on your long Johns, so  your legs will be nice and warm. You put on your winter boots, you put on your coat, you put on your hood, you put on your gloves, and finally you go outside and you enjoy yourself all day. You've protected your body, but you forgot one crucial thing because maybe it was also cloudy.  You didn't wear eye protection with an Ultra Violet (UV) blocker. 

 And the next day, when you wake up, your eyes are r...