Living with Dry Eye isn’t easy. Eventually you figure out what you can do to avoid additional pain, but it can take a lot of trial and error. I hope my 50 tips for living with Dry Eye will help you avoid, or manage, the pain of Dry Eye. Read Susie Brockman’s amazing Story of Hope Dry and Windy Places 1. Turn … Continue reading Susie Brockman’s 50 Tips for Living with Dry Eye
Research on contact lenses and Dry Eye Syndrome has recently been in the news. One study examined the role of the lipid layer in tear film and how that might impact contact lens design. The other looked at the microbiome in the eyes of contact lens wearers. Contact Lenses and Dry Eye – Research at Stanford It’s … Continue reading Contact Lenses and Dry Eye
Patient Advocacy – Individual event: Would you benefit from communicating with a person like you who has Dry Eye Disease (DED)? A person with DED who has “been there and done that” as the saying goes. Someone who probably will be able to help you to become a better educated consumer in dealing with your … Continue reading Events
The more you know about your eyes and the specific diseases you have, the better able you will be to speak with your doctor and to manage your own treatment. Below are some common anatomical structures related to Dry Eye and terms you may encounter. Blink Feedback Loop is the process that causes the lacrimal … Continue reading Dry Eye Anatomy and Terminology
Aqueous deficient dry eye is characterized by an inadequate wet layer of the tear film that is produced by the lacrimal gland. The risk of aqueous deficiency increases with age. Corneal sensory loss is a contributing factor to aqueous deficiency because corneal sensitivity plays an important role in the blink feedback loop. When the tear film … Continue reading Aqueous Tear Deficiency
After a stroke, the eyes may no longer have any feeling, interrupting the blink feedback loop. After a stroke, it may be difficult to blink or close the eyes, when awake or asleep, leading to evaporative dry eye. References Prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease in a British female cohort Vehof J, Kozareva … Continue reading Stroke
Androgens (including testosterone, the male sex hormone that both men and women have in different quantities and ratios) are important in the production of sebum and meibum. When androgens are low, skin may be dry, and meibum production may be low. Too much testosterone can lead to breakouts on the skin or inflammation and blockage in meibomian … Continue reading Testosterone, Too Little or Too Much
Dry Eye is common during pregnancy, usually beginning toward the end of the first trimester. It can continue throughout the pregnancy and persist for a few months after delivery. During pregnancy, other subtle eye changes can cause irritation or difficulty wearing contact lenses. A decline of the male androgen hormone during pregnancy is one cause of Dry Eye. Women who nurse may continue to experience … Continue reading Pregnancy
Too much lubricating liquid in the eye creates an unsuitable environment for the blink mechanism. Too many lubricating drops also interfere with normal tear film function and the blink feedback loop. When there is too much liquid, in the eye it may be difficult to close the eye completely, resulting in an incomplete blink that … Continue reading Overuse of Lubricating Eye Drops
According to Ellen Troyer, MT, MA and Spencer Thornton, MD: Loss of corneal sensation is a common feature of ocular herpes. Proper epithelialization of the cornea may be retarded in ocular herpes patients due to suppression of limbal stem cells from chronic use of topical antiviral therapy, and from poor wound healing related to the … Continue reading Ocular Herpes
