#207: Bad Habits that Make Dry Eyes Worse
Sometimes my patients share cringe-worthy practices with me in my clinic. These are things they do with their eyes that they don't know are harmful. It's time to address these habits head-on. Let's talk about bad eye habits.
Bad Eye Habit #1) Using Get the Red Out Drops
Using drops that promise to "get the red out" are not helping your eyes. Stop using them! You're merely covering up the problem. If you're constantly using these drops, you're ignoring the warning signs. Redness is your body's way of signaling danger or caution. So why cover it up instead of fixing it?
Those "get the red out" drops squeeze the blood vessels on the front of your eyes closed. Thus, the drops control the redness, but they don't eliminate the inflammation. They're not good for yo
...#205: Good Habits to Support Dry Eye Relief
Focusing on these three essential habits are of the utmost importance in maintaining healthy eyes. Let's cultivate good habits around eye hygiene this month, it's important to pay special attention to the well-being of our eyes. Afterall, they are the only pair we'll ever have.
Tip 1: Remove Your Contact Lenses
Remove your contact lenses before any of the three "S"s. Never leave your contact lenses in your eyes while:
- Showering
- Swimming
- Sleeping
Removing your lenses prior to these three S's ensures you keep your eyes in top shape. Each of these activities increases your risks of sight threatening eye infections. Always removing contacts before any of these situations will reduce your risk of complications and maintain healthy habits.
The most effective contact lens cleanser o...
#203: Bruder creates Essential Eye Care Products
Hello there, eye enthusiasts! Today, we're going to dive into a treasure trove of eye care products that'll make you want to give your peepers some extra TLC. If you've been following along on my eye-care journey, you know that I'm all about four simple steps to keep those windows to your soul sparkling. If your not sure which 4 steps I'm talking about, this blog will set you straight. So, let's jump right into it and chat about some fantastic over-the-counter products from Bruder Healthcare that have recently caught my attention.
Step 1: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! 💧
First things first, it's all about hydration, my friends. We often recommend using artificial tears to add some much-needed moisture to the surface of our eyes. But here's a twist – Bruder has a unique way to hydrate your...
#184: New Dry Eye Products from 2022
The eye care industry is constantly evolving. There is always research going on to make products better, more tolerable, and longer lasting. This past year, there were 3 new products that hit the market that can significantly affect your dry eye relief. Let's talk about three of the best dry eye products that came to market in 2022.
#1) For your Eyes: Optase MGD Advanced Dry Eye Drop
Optase has been available in the US for a couple of years now. Their preservative-free Dry Eye Intense drop has been a favorite of mine for several years now. However, in 2022, MGD Advanced came to the US market as well.
MGD Advanced has three key ingredients:
- Hyaluronic Acid: binds moisture to the front surface of our eye.
- Trehalose: a naturally occurring compound that prevents drying out, or desicc ...
#176: Thankful for Dry Eye Relief
I wanted to continue to review a few of the new innovations that I am thankful for in 2022. This one is a new prescription medication that was FDA approved almost exactly one year ago. It is used to treat both the signs and the symptoms of dry eye disease. And, that is super important.
Tyrvaya is the first and only nasal spray that's FDA approved to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. It's a nasal spray that we use to stimulate a nerve in the nose which sends a signal back to the eye to tell it to produce a full bodied robust tear. This is not just a reflex tear because something irritated you. The medication helps increase the volume of tears in your eyes. And, it increases the harmony on your eye because it is increasing all of the components of the tears not just add
...#172: Myth #1 - Dry Eye symptoms will go away on their own
Today, I'm going to talk to you about the first of three myths about dry eye disease. Stay tuned over the coming weeks for the other two myths.
Myth #1:
Dry Eye Disease symptoms will just go away on their own.
Truth:
Dry eye is a disease. It's called dry eye disease (DED). And, it's chronic and progressive just like other disease that you might have, like diabetes or high blood pressure.
DED is chronic. You will need to treat it for a lifetime. It doesn't just go away on its own. So it needs to be treated long term. It's best to make simple shifts to your lifestyle to treat it. If you make your treatment regimen a part of your daily care routine (like you do for brushing your teeth) it is easy to do it over your lifetime.
Check out the 4-simple steps of daily dry eye care here. ...
#157: Understanding Sjogren's Syndrome (Part 1)
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?
...#146: How to Protect Your Eyes from Cold Winter Air
February is the coldest month of the year in most parts of the US. It's colder than January or December, so it's important to talk about how to protect your eyes from the cold winter air.
Dry eyes are already sensitive to temperature changes and wind. The cold air really irritates dry eyes, and it usually makes them water. That's your body's protective mechanism to defend against the irritant of the cold. The best way to protect your eyes while outdoors during the winter months is to wear sunglasses or goggle that will cover your eyes from cold or wind.
Once you're back indoors, you can also rinse them with preservative-free artificial tears to clear the irritants. I previously covered everything your need to know about the best sunglasses when you have dry eyes here. Let's discuss...
#145: Make your Sensitive Eyes look Great this Valentine's Day
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...
#143: The Best Self Care Tips for Dry Eyes this Winter (Part 1)
In the winter season, it's important to take care of your body so that your body takes care of your eyes. Last week, we discussed all the ways in which winter season is the hardest on your eyes. Taking care of you eyes is crucial so they don't feel dry, itchy red and scratchy all season long, like some of my patients complain about. If you winterize your self care, your eyes will be happy, and you can live your best life. So let's dive in.
Keep reading to learn how to get the best sleep and why sleep is so important this season. Then, next week, I'll dive into how to eat what you want and control your dry eye symptoms at the same time.
SLEEP
Stick to a Sleep Schedule
It's essential during the winter season to stick to a schedule. Bedtime is just as meaningful as the time that you ...
