It is said that dry eye has as many symptoms as it has causes.  One person's dry eyes may feel completely different than the next person's dry eyes.  Some patients complain that they are dry and scratchy and the next complains that they are irritated and watery. 

Some of my patients feel their dry eyes feel worst and night and some feel worse in the mornings.  When you have eye irritation first thing in the morning, there are usually a few key reasons.

One of the first questions I like to ask my dry eye patients is, "Do your eyes feel more tired and irritated first thing in the morning or at the end of the day?"  The reason that I like to ask this question is that I want to get to the root cause of the dry eye symptoms.

Knowing when the eyes are most dry tells me a lot about the lids.  ...

 January is Glaucoma Awareness Month

I want to take some time to discuss how glaucoma and dry eye are related.  You probably already know what dry eye is. You know that it's an irritation of the front surface of the eye that can cause your eyes to be red, gritty, and irritated.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is often referred to as the "silent thief of vision".  It is a disease that causes you to lose your peripheral vision.   It generally happens very slowly over a long period of time,  This loss of vision is caused by an increase in the pressure inside the eye.  The increase in pressure is usually not enough to cause pain. 

There are very few symptoms that indicate to a patient that they are suffering from glaucoma.  It can go on for years undetected by the person suffering from it until...

I know what a lot of you are thinking.  How could anything good have come out of 2020?  And, I totally get where you are coming from.  But, I am a glass-half-full kind of gal, and I implore you to take a hard look back at the year and find what you can truly be grateful for. 

It has been a difficult year for everyone on the planet.  No one was spared heartache this year.  I would like to take a moment to recollect the best things that have happened in the world of Dry Eye this year.

Best New Products

This year, two companies brought new products to the U.S. Dry Eye market.  Their products are amazing.  I couldn't be happier to be able to get my hands on them here.

Eyes Are The Story

This company was founded by a small group of dry eye experts who are active in dry eye research and e...

Based on the research provided by the Tear Film and Ocular Surface (TFOS) Society, there are 4-simple steps all dry eye patients should take on a daily basis to alleviate their dry eye symptoms. 

In 2017, TFOS published a report called the Dry Eye Workshop that utilized the expertise of 150 clinicians and scientists around the world.  These doctors compiled all of the available research and wrote a consensus on how to treat dry eyes.  

The TFOS DEWS2 report advises using 4 steps to care for your dry eyes daily.  No matter if you have just been diagnosed with dry eyes or you have had them for years, there is a 4-step treatment process to get relief fast.  I recommended these 4 steps to all of my patients to do at home for the maintenance of healthy eyes and eyelids. 

Utilizing these 4 s...

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...

Artificial Tears

Which type of artificial tear is right for me?  Patients ask me this all the time.  The drug store shelves are confusing.  There are so many different kinds available.  There are six different types of artificial tears on the market today. And, you might want to choose the artificial tear based on your specific lifestyle requirements and the time of day you are using the tears.  

There has been a ton of research and development done in the eye care space in the last ten years.  Companies have been focusing on the ability to keep the feeling of moisture in your eye for longer periods.  The ingredients included in these products have shifted as well with the advancements in technology.

Don't forget to download the Ultimate Guide to Artificial Tears.  For now, let's review...