VIDEO: Clinicians can offer 'a number of options' for dry eye prevention

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Clinicians can recommend a number of remedies to patients to help prevent dry eyes. Our doctors of optometry can provide patients with a number of options, including use of tiny silicon gel-like plugs to help conserve the tears. We have medications to increase tear production. Eyedrops, even nutraceutical things like omega-3 fatty acids and we can decrease inflammation around the eyes and the surface of the eyes with eyedrops or ointments using warm compresses, lid massage or eyelid cleaners. In addition to that, there's also making sure that we help the patient understand their lifestyle. Doing proper hygiene. It's necessary patients establish a good hygiene routine. Simple environmental modifications, including hydration, not using ceiling fans or fans in the bedroom at night, maybe wearing a sleep mask, even using a humidifier. Those are all good starts. We have to address digital device use. You know, when we're looking upward into gazing at our digital devices, we increase the palpebral fissure with and that can expose more of the ocular surface leading to tear film destabilization. When we look down, the palp fissure is narrowed and it results in a more stabilized tear film. Around the home and workplace, we have to think about ergonomics, proper lighting, chair positioning, lowering the computer monitors. Maybe even adding a humidifier near the desk. All of those may help minimize computer-related dry eye syndromes. And finally, they also have blink exercises. It's been shown to prevent screen-related ocular damage. It's important to help our doctors have to help educate patients on why these strategies are essentials and actually coach them to use them throughout the day when you're at the computer, when you're using a handheld device, when you're playing video games. We spend a lot of time on screen today, and we have to think about proper blinking because we know our blink rate drops when we're on digital devices. You know, patients should also know about the 20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. That's just helping rest the eyes, relax them, getting things repositioned, helping the tear function get very stabilized and moving on to your next project.