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...

My patients ask me that all the time, "How can I get dry eye relief that lasts?" The answer is that you need a holistic treatment plan. 

What is a holistic treatment plan?  Let's start with an example we can relate to.  Let's talk about Barbara wanting to lose weight.  She decided to join a gym and committed herself to go to the gym every day, but since she was being so good about going to the gym, she also decided she didn't need to change what or when she was eating. 

For a whole month, Barbara went to the gym every day.  And, she continued eating as she normally had.  When she stepped onto the scale at the end of the month, she found that she had gained weight.  During this month, she had improved her cardiovascular health, improved her breathing, and her stamina.  She had even put on...

Why would you need more than one type of artificial tear?  My patients often ask me this after I prescribed them two different artificial tears. I believe that the best treatment plan for your eyes is one that's customized to your lifestyle.  And, there are six different types of artificial tears on the market. If you don't know about the six different types, you can check out this blog and learn the pros and cons of the different types of tears.

Why More than One Tear?

I like to recommend one type of tear for my patients to use during the day and then a second one for them to use at bedtime.  During the day, you're going to need to refresh the front surface of your eye and keep it hydrated with an artificial tear that won't blur your vision.  This is just to hydrate and moisturize the e...