Water Absorption > Not Just Water Intake = Improved Eye Health

When it comes to managing dry eyes, you’ve probably heard that drinking more water is essential. And it’s true. Hydration plays a vital role in maintaining tear production and eye comfort.

But, what if I told you that simply drinking more water isn’t enough? It’s not just about how much water you drink. What matters more is how much water your body actually absorbs. The amount of  water that is available to support your tear film is what we're after.

Water Intake vs. Water Absorption

Many of us aim to follow the classic advice: drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. That’s a great start. But, do you notice your trips to the bathroom increase when you drink more water?

Only a portion of that water actually makes its ...

This week is Thanksgiving!  It is one of my favorite holidays.  I love to take the time to think back and remember all the things I can be grateful for in my life.  In this blog, I'll reveal the three things that I am thankful for in the dry eye world that are new this year in 2021.

#1) Innovation in Eye Care

There have been several new drugs that have gained FDA approval in the past couple of years to treat Dry Eye Disease.  The newest drug to receive approval is Tyrvaya.  It was just FDA approved in October.  It is a nasal spray for the treatment of dry eye disease.

A nasal spray!?!?!? Wow.  You won't need to be putting more drops in eyes that sting and burn.  Yay.  It's something completely different.  This nasal spray that stimulates your body to make its own real natural tears.  ...

Many of my patients ask me about using artificial tears.  There are so many of them on the market.  It's hard to know which ones to use.  

Based on the research provided by the Tear Film and Ocular Surface (TFOS) Society, I advocate using Artificial Tears on a daily basis to care for your dry eyes.  TFOS wrote a report called the Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS II) Report that utilized the expertise of 150 clinicians and scientists from around the world to compile all of the literature available in the dry eye space and write a consensus on how to treat dry eyes.  

The TFOS DEWS II report advises using 4 steps to care for your dry eyes daily:  

1. Every day, the first step is to hydrate your eyes with an artificial tear.
2. The second step is to clean the lids and lashes.
3. The third step is to...