As 2017 Comes to a Close


As 2017 comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to recall one of its saddest moments, remember some of its highlights, and share what’s already in the works for 2018.

We Mourned

We mourned the tragic death of the young woman in India who simply couldn’t find help soon enough for the pain in her eyes. There is no way to express our grief adequately and nothing that will ever make what happened ok. Simply put, we mourned, deeply.

If you’re contemplating suicide, please contact your local suicide prevention hotline immediately. Reach out. There is help out there for each and every one of us.

New Board Member

“Hope was with me then, securely tucked in my back pocket. And it’s still with me now.” Susan Howell’s Story of Hope

This year Susan Howell volunteered more blogs and personal tips for coping with Dry Eye. We were impressed by Susan’s openness, willingness to contribute, and her boundless energy. She stands as a beacon of hope for many of us, having suffered through the pain of Dry Eye coupled with depression.

Despite these seemingly insurmountable conditions, Susan remained steadfast in her pursuit of relief. We were delighted when Susan agreed to join the board. She will be instrumental in organizing the 2018 Dry Eye Retreat.

270K Page Views

As 2017 Comes to a Close…

Our website had over 270,000 page views this year, averaging around 750 a day. That volume of traffic indicates that thousands and thousands of people are searching for information on Dry Eye. We hope the information on our website helps them find the relief they’re seeking.

Planning the 2018 Dry Eye Retreat

Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens in Williston, FL.

This summer we started planning our first Dry Eye Retreat and are now finalizing its details. We hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a heartfelt and deeply moving event.

If you subscribe to our blog you’ll be notified when online registration opens. Space is limited. So if you plan to attend, please register — and book your hotel room — early.

(Please note, as of September 5, 2018, this event has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience).

Thank You Bloggers

Susie Brockman
“I found what I thought I had lost forever, hope.” Susie Brockman’s Story of Hope

Thank you to all of our bloggers who contributed 19 different stories, opinions, updates, and various musings this year.

If you have Dry Eye and would like to share your personal Story of Hope with our readers, send an email to blogger@notadryeye.org. We’d love to hear from you, as would our readers.

Giving Patients a Voice

When DEWS II released its voluminous publication on the state of Dry Eye, we decided to resend the “manifesto” sent in 2016 to all of the DEWS II Committee members. Thank you Kristen for making Constant Contact work for us. Dry Eye patients everywhere deserve to be heard!

Here’s what’s on deck for 2018     

Dry Eye Retreat

Two Hawk Hammock, Williston, FL

The Dry Eye Retreat will be held in Williston, FL, November 9-11, 2018. You will need to arrange your own transportation and accommodations, so please plan to book hotel rooms early. Williston isn’t too far from Gainesville, Fl., the home of the University of Florida Gators. If there’s a home game that weekend, hotel rooms will book up early. And we’d hate it if you missed the event just because you can’t find a place to stay.

(Please note, as of September 5, 2018, this event has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience).

Seeking Volunteers

If you’d like to volunteer, we’d love your help. We’re looking for people who have experience or interest in social media, traditional and on-line marketing, SEO, event management, print media, fundraising, leading patient support groups, writing/blogging, public speaking, and more. To volunteer, just send an email to contact@notadryeye.org and let us know how you’d like to help.

Patient Reported Outcomes

We’re looking into ways to facilitate gathering information from Dry Eye patients who undergo treatments and the outcomes of those treatments. Are they effective? Do they cause side effects? How effective are they? And how bad are the side effects? This initiative started over a decade ago at the FDA and may one day benefit Dry Eye patients, especially those who try treatment after treatment after treatment but find no relief.

We’ll share more about this exciting development that could have a tremendous impact on each of us, though by no means is this something that will happen overnight. This as a long-term project that could have long-term effects. So stay tuned.

Happy New Year!

That’s all for 2017. We’ll be in touch again in 2018.

Happy New Year everyone!


SAVE the DATE: Dry Eye Retreat, November 9-11, 2018, Williston, Florida

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