One of the biggest complaints my dry eye patients talk to me about is redness.  Across the board, no matter their age or gender, patients hate having red eyes.  It's just embarrassing.  And, in truth, other people do notice when your eyes are red.  

Let's face it, the eyes are the windows to your soul.  And although rose colored glasses may give you a sunnier disposition, rose colored eyes do not.  There is no beauty in red eyes.  And, we don't like the story that red eyes tend to relate about activities we may have engaged in the night before.

Instead let's concentrate on how to make your dry eyes white again. This week especially, only a few days before Easter, you don't want to be mistaken for an Easter bunny.

Why are your eyes red when they're dry?

Well, dry eye is driven by inf...

The cause of Dry Eye Disease is multifactorial.  This means that the factors that make it worse come from all around us.  It is our lifestyle, or the things you're, or are not, doing on a daily basis that can either improve or hinder your dry eye symptoms. 

Last month, I did a webinar with Scope Eyecare to explore how to deal with Dry Eye Disease while you're working.  Your computer and other digital devices can play a big role in how dry your eyes feel. Download the guide to Digital Eye Strain Relief here.

In this webinar, we took a deep dive into:

• How to know if you have dry eyes. Yes, there are tons of tests your doctor can do, but you can do this quick test to find out for yourself.
• Blink regularly and intentionally.  Close your eyes and intentionally squeeze the lids closed for
...

A lot of patients come to my office because their dry eyes are affecting their ability to work.  Some days your eyes may be bothering you so much that you just can't continue to work for another minute. What are you going to do now?

 I don't know if you know this, but I spend a lot of time on the computer myself.  I wrote a book a few years ago.  I write articles for Optometric journals and prepare lectures to present to colleagues.  I also have a blog and a website. All of these things can cause me to be on the computer into the wee hours. Often my eyes own eyes are tired, and I feel like I just can't keep going.

I've found some things that really help.  I have done a number of blogs to help you adjust your workstation and help you keep working.  And, I've prepared a Guide to help you...

Happy Mari Gras!

It's Mardi Gras season here in Louisiana.  And, Mardi Gras season gives the folks here in Louisiana one more thing to celebrate.  There are parties, parades, masquerade balls, and lots of fun to be had.  Everyone likes to get dressed up for it and wear beaded necklaces and fun masks. 

Since there is a lot of masquerading going on, it's the perfect time to talk about an eye condition that often masquerades as dry eyes - seasonal allergies. Or, I should say that allergies sometimes aren't the cause of your symptoms and it's really dry eye that's the underlying problem.

My patients often come in to see me and talk to me about symptoms of redness and watering. Then, they down play the symptoms by stating, "It's just my allergies". That's how it masquerades. A symptom that...

It's almost Valentine's Day!!  Let's talk about how to make your eyes look gorgeous for your date.

There are five steps you can take to make your eyes pop, even when they're dry or sensitive, when you're out for Valentine's day. On this night especially, you don't want to hide your eyes because you're embarrassed by their redness.  Eyes are the window to the soul.  And, we all know that making eye contact is key in building relationships.  And, Valentine's Day is all about relationships.  So, let's stop hiding our eyes, and get them looking gorgeous.

STEP 1) LET THEM POP

You're ready to look great on your Valentine's Day date.  You don't want your leads to make you appear sleepy.  Use one drop of Upneeq at least 20 minutes before "go time".  And, your eyes will look more open and alluri...

Winter season is the driest time of the year.  So today, I'm talking about how to keep your dry eyes happy during the winter season.  Most of us are spending the winter days indoors. 

Winter is Dry Eye Season 

Outdoors the air is dry. The temperature is cold to freezing. Generally, there's not a lot of humidity. It could be windy. The days are short and there's less sunlight inside. Inside it's dry, hot with artificial heat and fire places.  Smoke and scents from candles can be very irritating to sensitive eyes.

What are the two things that you can do to help your eyes feel more moist?

#1) Perk up the Air Quality to Help Your Dry Eyes

The air quality can really irritate your eyes since you're spending lots of time in these dry environments.  Utilize a humidifier to add soothing m...

Happy Holidays!  I hope this is a great time of year for you.  I understand how hectic gift giving and shopping can be.  I want to make it easier for you to choose gifts that you know your friends will love, but also that will be healthy for their eyes.

Today we're going to talk about giving gifts and giving the gift of good vision.  This is what I talk about all day every day, so I'm so glad you're here to listen. We are going to talk about what you would love to give your mother, your sister, your best friend that would be super special, awesome, and help their dry eyes.

I want everyone with dry eyes to feel that they're comfortable and that they can be soothed and you can pamper them, I've got some really great gifts that'll help you to pamper not only your loved one, but also your pe...

In an earlier blog, I discussed the importance of using a warm compress mask as part of a daily treatment regimen for dry eyes.  However, some of my patients find it hard to use a mask because of a facial condition they have.  The condition is called Acne Rosacea.  It is quite common in light skinned folks or those with heritage from Northern European countries.

 Acne Rosacea causes irregular blood vessels to form on the skin.  If you have rosacea on your cheeks, there is an 80% chance that you also have rosacea on your eyelids.

 When these irregular blood vessels are close to the eyes, they bring inflammation to its front surface.  This inflammation fuels to cycle of dry eyes.

 My patients that have rosacea, are not fans of using warm compresses because they can cause these blood ves...

I want to talk about something very important having to do with your dry eyes.  Comparison.  Comparison can kill even the best intended hopes and dreams.   Often, my patients will ask me to prescribe something for them that worked for their: mom, sister, best friend, or the girl down the street.  Because, they will tell me, it works so great for that other person.   Or, they may ask me about a treatment that their best friend tried and want to try it themselves. 

However, the cause of dry eye is "multi-factorial"  This means it can come from many different sources.  Both men and woman can have dry eyes, but the cause of the dry eye and thus the way we treat it will be significantly different. 

So comparing other people's treatments to your own is not useful.  Or wanting your outcom...

Blinking Keeps Vision Clear