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:

1. Showering
2. Swimming
3. 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...

Today, I'm diving into a real discussion on Demodex mites and how they cause redness and irritation to your eyelashes. Yes, you heard that right! These microscopic critters love to make themselves at home in your eyelids and lashes, and you probably never even knew it. Let's talk about the Demodex mite who too small to see with the naked eye. 

Meet Demodex: Your Uninvited Eyelash Guest 🦠 

The demodex mite lives on the lash follicles of your eyes. Everyone has a few of these tiny party crashers living on our lids and lashes. It's perfectly normal! Learn more about this condition, Demodex blepharitis, here.

But here's the kicker: sometimes, these uninvited guests become over populated on your eyelashes, and that can lead to symptoms like irritation, redness, watering, lash thickening...

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...

Are your eyes constantly looking red and feeling scratchy?  When you're using the computer, do they sting and burn or even water too much? Does your vision blur when you're trying to get your work done? Do you feel like you just can't concentrate because you feel like you're constantly blinking to keep things clear? 

These are some common complaints my patients tell me about when they're trying to use the computer and they have dry eyes. I have a powerful tip to show you how to keep your dry eyes in check while you're on the computer.  It's called the 20X20X20 rule with a twist.

What's the 20X20X20 Rule?

The 20X20X20 rule means to take a quick break from looking at your computer screen to looking at something about 20 feet away, for just 20 seconds, about every 20 minutes.  During thi...

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...