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,...

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 ...

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?