Dry Eye

As people age, the desire to eliminate wrinkles and sagging skin increases. Blepharoplasty has become a popular option amongst the aging population, but some believe eyelid taping may be able to yield the same results.

Penny Asbell, MD, professor of ophthalmology at Mount Sinai in New York, NY, discusses the Dry Eye Assessment and Management Study (DREAM) study and why omega-3s may be no better than a placebo in helping dry eye at ARVO 2018 in Honolulu.

Eric Kuklinski, clinical research coordinator at Mount Sinai in New York, NY, discusses the methodology behind the Dry Eye Assessment and Management Study (DREAM) study and its findings at ARVO 2018 in Honolulu.

Dry eye plagues many patients who come into optometry practices, but some ODs struggle to provide the proper treatment. Scott Schachter, OD, gives his recommendations to help ODs begin to provide dry eye services at their practice.

A new study shows that omega-3 supplements offer the same benefits as the study's placebo, olive oil. Researchers and other experts discuss trial results and what's next for ODs treating dry eye.

Corneal filaments frequently recur after removal, and resolution occurs only by treating the patient’s underlying inflammation. This case illustrates the need to move to atypical therapies, such as N-acetylcysteine.

Patients present with contact lens discomfort for a variety of reasons. Mile Brujic, OD, FAAO, and David Kading, OD, FAAO, FCLSA, explain why proper lid hygiene may be the key to increasing contact lens comfort.

Many patients present with dry eye, and some ODs aren’t sure how to jump into the game. Scott Schachter, OD, offers his tips on expanding or incorporating dry eye services into your practice.

Demodex has been associated with inflammation of the lid margin and eyelash loss in patients. Take a closer look at mites and microorganisms to consider if, in moderation, they may be beneficial.

In Part 2 of her three-part series on cosmetic dangers, Tracy Schroeder-Swartz, OD, MS, FAAO, focuses on the dangers found in cosmetics-particularly cosmetics banned by the FDA and those that may exacerbate ocular surface disease.

Comprehensive ocular examinations can provide an OD with an inside look into a patient's health. Mile Brujic, OD, and David Kading, OD, discuss the importance of using upper eyelid eversion during the exam to unleash significant information about a patient's ocular surface and systemic health.

Michael Cooper, OD, takes a look at how the Japanese treat allergic conjunctivitis to gain a different perspective on treatments. What he finds is that we aren't so different after all.

In Part 1 of her three-part series on cosmetic dangers, Tracy Schroeder-Swartz, OD, MS, FAAO, outlines what types of cosmetic products are available and what they do.

Dry eye disease (DED) has been historically underserved. Leslie E. O’Dell, OD, FAAO, summarizes what equipment is available today to help you begin evaluating your dry eye patients’ glands.

The Precision Medicine Initiative offers a model to customize treatment for each individual patient. Katherine M. Mastrota, MS, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO explains why using precision medicine to treat dry eye disease can be beneficial for the OD and patient.

If you have skimmed a few summary articles and are thinking, “Dry eye not really changed much for me,” we’re highlighting the biggest takeaways from TFOS DEWS II that will make you rethink what you think you know about dry eye treatment in our podcast with Drs. Jennifer Craig, Lyndon Jones, and James Wolffsohn.

Whether your Halloween makeup plans are glamorous or ghoulish, incorrect makeup practices are frightful for eye health.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are devices designed to deliver nicotine in a solution rather than smoke without tobacco combustion. Perceived by consumers as a safer alternative to conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes are aggressively marketed as lifestyle-choice consumables.

As ODs, we are fully aware of the challenge patient compliance with prescribed eye drops. To assuage the battle of compliance, eye drop manufacturers are assiduously working to devise drug delivery systems that reduce or eliminate patients’ engagement in the instillation of their prescribed therapy. But until ODs no longer use eye drops, drops remain our primary mode of drug delivery.

To understand how far we have come, you must remember where we started.

A poor ocular surface is a common condition in glaucoma patients due to the incidence of dry eye, age, and use of benzalkonium chloride (BAK). Poor compliance with glaucoma therapy can result. Use of point-of-care testing can help identify patients with a poor ocular surface and drive treatment decisions. Treatment options, including surgical, are discussed.

Neurostimulation could be the “next big thing” in dry eye disease (DED). A new neurostimulation device called TrueTear (Allergan) is a patient-directed, non-pharmacologic option.

With great anticipation, the updated report of the TFOS Dry Eye WorkShop (DEWS II) was released last week. The first DEWS report was released in 2007.

So much basic science research is presented at this meeting, and most of it will be years before it makes its way to clinical trials. Let’s concentrate on research that might be of use to us in the exam room very soon.

Scott Schachter, OD, discusses dry eye and how incorporating a dry eye checklist may help improve patient treatment.