It's fall! The weather has that crispy quality again. We can get out our sweaters and enjoy being outdoors without sweating. 

Fall is a great time of year to enjoy the outdoors and usually, there are lots of opportunities to do so. You may be going to football games or spending the day at a fall festival. You may have gotten lost in your local corn maze or spent the day picking apples.

Being outdoors is great this time of year, but as a dry eye sufferer, it has it's challenges. Let's explore the best ways to prepare yourself for spending time outdoors this fall.

Protect your Eyes from the Sun

The sun and wind can still irritate your already challenged eyes. It's important to protect your eyes from UV light. And, sense it can also be windy this time of year, be sure to find a sunglass...

In the clinic, I get asked this question all day long, "What's causing my eyes to be so dry?" The short answer is that dry eye is multifactorial. It comes from many different causes. Some of the things we have no control over, like your gender and your age.  Women, especially those over 40, are more likely to have dry eye than men. And, we can't change our gender or age.  But, there are a ton of causes of dry eye that we can control.   

Let's talk about what you can take care or change to help our dry eyes. I like to break this down into three parts. I called it the EYE Method.  The first is E for eyes. The Y is for Your Health. And, the final E is for the Environment. 

Let's look at each part.  Last week, I dove in to how the Eyes play a role in causing dry eye disease.  If you missed it,...

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...

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...

Lots of states are returning to having a mask mandate.  Here in Louisiana, as of August of 2021, we are back to wearing masks while in doors in public areas.

We're back to wearing masks again.  And, if you suffer from dry eyes, like I do, your eyes are probably feel pretty bad when you wear a face covering for several hours.  I want to give you some tips on how to wear a mask when your eyes are dry.

What is going on when we wear a mask?

Well, the air from your nose and mouth needs somewhere to go when your wearing a mask.  If the mask isn't tight over the bridge of your nose, the air will travel up into your eyes and dry them out.  Not to mention, that warm moist air will fog your glasses.  When you have your mask on, and it isn't tight enough over the bridge of the nose, the air from y...

The winter season tends to be the driest time of year in many places around the world.  When the temperatures drop and everyone turns on their heaters, there's not a lot of moisture in the air.  And, that's just the indoor environment.  Outdoors the weather can be harsh with freezing temperatures, blowing wind, and extra UV light coming off of ice and snow.   

This is a really tough environment for anyone who suffers from dry eyes.  I want to go over three tips that you can use this winter to keep your eyes feeling moisturized and comfortable. And, I think you'll be a little bit surprised with the third tip.  

Tip #1) Use A Gel Artificial Tear Or Ointment At Bedtime 

It's nice to have that extra moisturizing gel in your eyes while you're sleeping in the winter.  When the air is so dry i...

Mask Associated Dry Eye is dryness caused or exacerbated by wearing a face-covering mask.

Many of us have been mandated to wear a face-covering while in public by our local government for months now.  Many people who work in the public are now wearing these masks for a large portion or at least several hours a day.

Personally, I wear a mask the entire time I am at work, whether I am in front of patients or not.  I am still in the building or in a room with others, so wearing a mask is important.  Dry eyes associated with wearing a mask is increasing in patients.  It is even increasing in patients who did not have dry eyes previous to the pandemic.

2 Ways Poor Mask Fit Leads to Dry Eyes:

Too Loose:

Breathing out while wearing a mask that does not fit tightly to your cheeks can send the...

In this interview, I review the 4 Steps of Simple Dry Eye treatment plan and the importance of having a treatment plan that addresses the symptoms of your dry eyes.

Let me do a quick review for you here.

Step One: Hydrate - Use an artificial tear to give the front surface of the eye the moisture it needs to keep the eye healthy.

Step two: Harmonize - Using a cleanser for the lids and lashes on a daily basis will keep the bacteria living there in check.  Over population of bacteria will lead to redness and irritation.

Step three: Heat - A warm compress will help to melt the oils trapped in the oil glans lining the lid margins.  Once thee oil is able to flow freely out of the glands, the oil will coat the watery portion of the tears and prevent it from evaporating.

Step four: Heal - Ome...