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...

 Tip #1) Summer Proof your Beauty Routine

Springtime is a beautiful time of year with the birds chirping and flowers beginning to bloom.  However, it can be the worst time of year for dry eye sufferers.  Allergens on top of eyes that are already red and sore can be a nightmare.  

Eye allergy symptoms include itching, watering, redness, and swelling.  Those symptoms would be piled on top of the dry eye symptoms you are already feeling like irritation and fluctuating vision.  Use these tips to soothe your allergy symptoms this spring.

Eliminate the Pollen

Keeping the pollen out of your clothes, hair, skin, and eyes is a great first step in helping your symptoms.  I wrote a blog about this subject recently.  Review it here for some best practices to keep the pollen out of your home, your bed, your eyes, and off of your contact l...

TIP 1 

Summer is a great time of year for everyone to get out and travel.  When you get to your destination, you want to look fresh and ready to experience something new.  However, the extra dry conditions of airplanes and even cars can make our eyes look red, puffy, and tired.  Being prepared with a few extra goodies in your carry-on bag and your checked bag can make all the difference in how you see, look, and feel. 

In this blog, you will learn what to pack, how to prepare yourself before you travel, the best ways to stay hydrated while traveling, and how to refresh yourself once you reach your destination.  We all deserve to show up looking and feeling great for our adventure to begin.  I have also included a printable packing list you can keep handy while preparing for your trip to ensure y...

When you have dry eye disease your eyes are very sensitive.  You may find that anything you add to them stings, burns, irritates or otherwise makes them worse.  Preservatives can be especially irritating to your eyes and over time the buildup of preservatives can cause increased redness and irritation.   

The top things eye care practitioners advise to avoid these preservatives are preservative-free drops and daily disposable contact lenses.  Here, I will cover why this is great advice, other contact lens options, and what we can do to reduce our waste products by using these types of disposable products.  

Why preservative-free? 

Preservatives are used in bottled artificial tears, medicated drops, and contact lens cleaners to prevent bacteria from growing in the bottle.  Preservatives ...