Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, Opticians

Category: Eye Health

Nutrients & Diet for Eye Health

  August 14, 2025
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At some point in all our lives we’ll hear our doctor say, “You know, you really should be taking a daily multivitamin.” The simple fact is that as people age, they tend to reduce their overall consumption and absorption of necessary vitamins and minerals. In fact, fifty percent of older adults have a vitamin and mineral intake less than the recommended daily intake (RDI), while 10%–30% have subnormal levels of vitamins and minerals¹.

Besides well-known nutrients like vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium, a standard multivitamin will also include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, folate, selenium, and zinc.
 

Eye Health Research

In 2001, the National Institute of Health launched the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), a major clinical trial designed to learn more about the causes and risk factors of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts and to evaluate the effect of certain vitamins and minerals on those disease factors.

This study specifically looked at vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and zinc. Results from the study showed that high levels of antioxidants and zinc significantly reduced the risk of advanced AMD and vision loss associated with the disease while showing no significant effect on the development or progression of cataracts.
 

Eye Health Supplements

Researchers with the AREDS study took their findings and created a nutritional supplement called the AREDS Formulation, designed specifically to reduce the risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration. The original formulation contains vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc, and copper. Vitamins and minerals the study deemed vital and important to overall eye health. Both AREDS and AREDS 2 formulations can be found in various supplements at your local pharmacy.

The broader vitamin and supplement market has also been jumping on the eye health bandwagon including a supplement called Ocuvite from Bausch + Lomb is marketed to “Help Protect Your Eye Health” with ingredients including Vitamins C, E, and D, as well as zinc, copper, Omega-3 fatty acids, Lutein and Zeaxanthin, both marigold flower extracts – two carotenoid nutrients, a type of antioxidant, found in the eye that help strengthen the macula, the part of the eye responsible for shielding and filtering high-energy blue light. 

There are countless other supplements on the market for eye health as well all delivering those same essential vitamins and minerals for both overall physical health, mental acuity, and eye health.
 

The Best Protection For Your Eyes

Far and away the best thing you can do for the health and wellbeing of your eyes is to get annual eye exams at your eye doctor. Protect your eyes from ultraviolet light, get plenty of sleep, eat well for eye health, and again, make sure you see your eye doctor once a year for an annual exam – it’s the best vitamin you can take!

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Screen Time & Eye Sight

 
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The Digital Age is said to have officially begun in the mid-20th century when the world’s largest economies shifted from traditional industries to an economy based on the latest information technology.

The internet as we know it became public in 1993, with desktop computers becoming fairly common later that decade, followed in short time by laptop computers and smartphones. In 2024 it is estimated that 91% of adults in the US own a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011.

Screen Time And Vision Problems

The average screen time in the United States is said to be around 7 hours and 3 minutes per day on internet-connected devices according to the most recent data. Vermont is ranked 42nd out of the 50 states, averaging around 4 hours and 37 minutes.1

Screen time has become so ubiquitous in education, communication, recreation, and entertainment that it is nearly impossible to go without it for some amount of time each day. Even one hour a day in front of a screen can increase chances of developing myopia or nearsightedness, by 21%.2 As a result, it is expected that nearly half of the world’s population will be nearsighted by 2050.3

Vision and eye related concerns caused by excessive screen time are collectively referred to as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Essentially damage caused by repetitive motion, CVS is not dissimilar to carpal tunnel syndrome, except for the eyes. CVS includes everything from myopia to presbyopia (a decline in the eye’s ability to focus), to dry eye, eye discomfort, and eye strain.

Blue Light And Your Eyes

Blue light is emitted from all handheld electronic devices, desktop and laptop computers, and televisions. It is the shortest and highest energy wavelength of visible light and with overexposure, can cause significant damage to many parts of the eye including the macula, retina, and photoreceptors.

Damage from blue light from smartphones is particularly important because smartphones are often used in dim light, close to the eyes. Unlike ordinary computer vision fatigue, damage from blue light is serious, cumulative, and irreversible, and includes: 4

  • Cell damage in both the inner and outer layers of photoreceptors (rods and cones), and in the retina

  • Damage to the fine capillaries in retina cone photoreceptors

  • Edema, or swelling of the retina

  • Development of cystoid spaces (cysts) further indicates edema

  • Inner blood-retinal barrier damaged

The Evolution Of Sight

It is considered inevitable that the more time humans spend sitting and relatively sedentary in front of computers and smart phone, the more likely those behaviors will affect our evolution as a species.

Studies are ongoing, but it is agreed that children should be reducing their screen time as much as possible to avoid the most prevalent effects. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting children’s total screen time to no more than one to two hours per day. For children younger than 2 years, screen time is discouraged altogether.

Evolution is inevitable, and only time will really tell the effects of our growing addiction to screen time. You are most likely reading this on a screen right now!

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Tired & Blurry… Morning Vision

 
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It is extremely common for adults to wake up in the morning a little achy and stiff, and still a bit tired. The night before might be a little blurry, but why would your vision be blurry after a normal night’s sleep? Turns out, dry eyes and slightly blurry vision in the morning is also a very common experience.

Sleep is a different experience for everyone. Some people sleep on their back, others on their side; some even sleep with their eyes slightly open without even knowing it, a condition called nocturnal lagophtalmos.

While most people sleep with their eyes closed, and their body is lubricating their eyes behind their eyelids throughout the night, it is still possible to wake up with dry eyes or blurry vision, and often with that little collection of “sand” from the Sandman tucked into the corner of your eye.

As you might have guessed, the debris in the corner of your eye isn’t sand, but is actually called rheum, a dried mucus discharged from the cornea or the conjunctiva – the thin, clear membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids and covers the white part of the eye.

While it’s true your eyes are being lubricated behind your eyelids, people do not blink when they are asleep. Blinking, using your tears as a lubricant, washes away that excreted debris. Since you’re not blinking while you’re asleep, the mucus collects and dries in the corner of your eye.

Morning Vision Issues

Dry eyes in the morning can mean you are one of the 20% of people who sleep at least a part of the night with their eyes slightly open. Using eye drops, some even developed specifically to keep your eyes lubricated throughout the night, can help with this condition. Apply eye drops upon waking can also help relieve dryness and itchiness.

Blurred vision at any time of day can be a little disconcerting. Allergens and other irritants in the environment can cause dry, itchy eyes, and/or blurry vision. Air purifiers where you sleep can help reduce irritants in the air and minimize the effects.

Some people may suffer from sleep-induced corneal edema, a minor swelling overnight in the cornea of the eye that causes blurry vision first thing in the morning but generally dissipates as the morning progresses.

Sleeping with contact lenses is often a cause of vision issues in the morning, and if it becomes an ongoing habit, could cause last vision and eye issues.

Wake Up To Find Out That You Are The Eyes Of The World

As with any vision or eye related concern, persistent, unusual, or progressive issues should be brought to your eye doctor immediately.

Dry eyes and blurry vision in the morning could very easily be nothing serious, but it’s always better to get the advice of your doctor just to be sure.

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Role of Insulin, in your body & eyes.

 
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Regular comprehensive eye examinations are a vital component of every effective diabetes management plan. Why? The very mechanisms that define diabetes — insulin problems and high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) — can progressively damage your eyes and lead to vision loss or even blindness.

Preventing diabetes-related eye complications and vision loss starts successful blood sugar control, an ongoing process built on a solid understanding of what insulin does for your body. 

Preventing diabetes-related eye complications and vision loss starts successful blood sugar control, an ongoing process built on a solid understanding of what insulin does for your body. 

Let’s take a closer look at the role insulin plays in your body, and what poorly controlled blood sugar levels can mean for your eye health and vision. 

TWO TYPES OF INSULIN PROBLEMS

Insulin problems fall into two categories: insufficient insulin excretion, and ineffective use of the insulin that is excreted. Both these problems lead to diabetes: 

TYPE 1 DIABETES

This rarer type of diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to meet your body’s needs. Often diagnosed in childhood, many experts consider type 1 diabetes to be an autoimmune disorder. 

TYPE 2 DIABETES 

Type 2 diabetes accounts for up to 95% of diabetes cases in the United States. With this insulin problem, body cells stop responding normally to insulin — a condition called insulin resistance — causing your pancreas to produce more insulin in an effort to elicit cellular response.

HOW DIABETES AFFECTS EYE HEALTH 

All people with type 1 diabetes, and many people with type 2 diabetes, must take insulin to control their blood sugar. Unfortunately, the chronically high blood sugar levels of prediabetes and poorly controlled diabetes can undermine your health — and your vision — over time.

Specifically, diabetes can systematically: 

  • Decrease blood, oxygen, and nutrient flow to ocular tissues 

  • Damage the tiny blood vessels of your retinas, causing leakage 

  • Prompt swelling in the central area of the retina (macula)

  • Undermine water (lacrimal) gland and oil (meibomian) gland function

  • Decrease tear production (tear quantity) and adhesion (tear quality)

  • Damage ocular nerves, including the nerve bundle that forms the optic nerve

  • Cause the accelerated buildup of vision-clouding deposits on the ocular lens

Diabetic eye disease is an umbrella term for a group of eye complications that can develop with the damage that uncontrolled or long-term diabetes can cause. Diabetes elevates your risk of developing: 

  • Diabetic retinopathy

  • Retinal detachment

  • Diabetic macular edema

  • Open-angle glaucoma

  • Early-onset cataracts

  • Dry eye syndrome (DES)

While the gradual, wide-ranging ocular damage caused by diabetes is more likely to occur with poorly controlled blood sugar levels, diabetes-related eye and vision complications also become more likely the longer you have diabetes — even if it’s properly managed. 

SAFEGUARD YOUR VISION TODAY

Most people don’t experience vision loss from high blood sugar levels in the short term, but the ocular complications of uncontrolled or long-term diabetes can be very serious. 

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Summer Dry Eyes

 
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What Are Dry Eyes in Summer?

Dry eyes in summer is a common condition that affects many people due to the unique environmental factors of the season. While dry eyes can occur year-round, summer often makes symptoms worse due to sun exposure, increased outdoor activities, high temperatures, and air conditioning. Understanding the triggers and treatments for dry eyes in summer can help you enjoy your favorite summer activities without discomfort.

Common Causes of Dry Eyes in Summer

There are several reasons why dry eyes in summer tend to flare up more than during other times of the year. Some of the most common causes of dry eyes in summer include:

1. Heat and Sun Exposure
The hot, dry air of summer can quickly evaporate moisture from the eyes, leading to irritation and dry eyes in summer. Prolonged sun exposure without eye protection also increases your risk for dry eyes in summer.

2. Air Conditioning
While air conditioning is a must in hot weather, it often contributes to dry indoor air. This dry air can reduce tear film quality and make dry eyes in summer even more uncomfortable—especially for those working in offices or driving long hours.

3. Outdoor Allergens
Pollens, dust, and other airborne irritants are more prevalent in summer, triggering inflammation and contributing to dry eyes in summer for those with seasonal allergies.

4. Swimming Pools and Chlorine
Whether you’re diving into the pool or lounging nearby, chlorine and other chemicals can worsen dry eyes in summer by irritating the eye’s surface and stripping away natural oils.

5. Digital Screen Use
More people travel or work remotely during the summer, increasing screen time on phones, tablets, and laptops. Digital eye strain is a well-known contributor to dry eyes in summer and throughout the year.

Symptoms of Dry Eyes in Summer

Recognizing the signs of dry eyes in summer is the first step toward relief. Symptoms of dry eyes in summer vary but commonly include:

Burning or stinging sensation

Redness or irritation

Excessive tearing (a response to dryness)

Blurry vision

Sensitivity to light

Gritty or sandy feeling in the eyes

Eye fatigue, especially after screen use

If you experience any of these dry eye in summer symptoms, especially on hot or windy days, you may be suffering from dry eyes in summer.

How to Prevent Dry Eyes in Summer

1. Wear Sunglasses
One of the easiest ways to combat dry eyes in summer is to wear sunglasses that block UV rays and shield your eyes from wind and dust. Wraparound frames provide even more protection.

2. Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water helps support your body’s natural tear production. Dehydration is a common but often overlooked cause of dry eyes in summer.

3. Use a Humidifier Indoors
Running a humidifier can counteract the drying effects of air conditioning and help maintain comfortable moisture levels in the air—crucial for preventing dry eyes in summer.

4. Limit Screen Time
Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This helps reduce eye strain and minimize the symptoms of dry eyes in summer caused by excessive screen exposure.

5. Apply Lubricating Eye Drops
Over-the-counter artificial tears can relieve discomfort and help maintain moisture on the surface of the eye. Use preservative-free drops to avoid additional irritation if you’re experiencing chronic dry eyes in summer.

6. Protect Eyes While Swimming
Wear swim goggles when swimming in chlorinated pools to avoid eye irritation. Rinse your eyes with clean water after swimming to remove any lingering chemicals.

When to See an Eye Doctor for Dry Eyes in Summer

If your symptoms of dry eyes in summer persist despite home remedies, it’s time to schedule a professional evaluation. Chronic dry eyes can affect your vision and quality of life if left untreated.

An eye exam with your local Optometrist can help determine the underlying cause of your dry eyes in summer and develop a personalized treatment plan. Treatments may include:

Prescription eye drops

Punctal plugs to retain tears

Lifestyle recommendations

Nutritional support (like Omega-3 supplements)

In-office therapies to address Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

Early intervention is key when managing dry eyes in summer, so don’t delay getting the care your eyes need.

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Glaucoma Treatment

 
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If you’ve been diagnosed with glaucoma, you’re probably already familiar with the typical options in glaucoma treatment – eye drops, laser treatment or traditional surgery. While these are certainly effective, especially when glaucoma is diagnosed early, researchers have been working hard to offer new glaucoma treatments. Their goal is not only to improve outcomes but also reduce the treatment’s side effects and frequency of use.
 

What Is The Goal Of Glaucoma Treatment?

Before we dive into the new options, it’s important to understand the goal of any glaucoma treatment. At present, glaucoma is not curable. However, treatment can significantly slow the progression of the disease. Glaucoma damages your eye’s optic nerve. Extra fluid builds up in the front part of your eye (cornea), which increases the pressure in your eye. Reducing this pressure is the primary objective of any glaucoma treatment. This is often referred to as intraocular pressure or IOP.
 

What Are The Limitations Of Standard Glaucoma Treatments?

Eye drops for glaucoma treatment seem like an easy option but there are several challenges that can reduce its effectiveness. It can be difficult to get all the medicine in the eye, especially for older adults with less of a steady hand. In addition, since it must be applied daily, individuals may forget. Since the drops have no perceivable benefit because early stages of glaucoma have no symptoms, patients might make it a lower priority which is understandable since it may also have unpleasant side effects like burning, red eyes.

Beyond eye drops, laser surgery is a less invasive option. The laser opens clogged tubes and drains fluid. It can take a few weeks to see the full results. If laser surgery or drugs don’t relieve your eye pressure, you may need a more traditional operation. You would have to go into the hospital and will need a few weeks to heal and recover. Although usually effective, glaucoma surgery can make you more likely to get cataracts later on. It can also cause eye pain or redness, infection, inflammation, or bleeding in your eye.

What Are Recent Advances In Glaucoma Treatment?

Alternatives or Improvements to Eye Drops
The Glaucoma Research Foundation reported several new developments on the horizon. These technologies focus on reducing patient error in applying eye drops which would make the medication more effective and improve the quality of life for the patient. Here are some of the products underway:

  • A polymer, like a contact lens, would contain the drug; it would sit under the eyelid and release the medication over several months

  • Microneedles would inject medication into a specific spot to be most effective

  • Implantable extended-release devices using engineered highly precise microparticles and nanoparticles

  • Polymer-based intraocular delivery technologies that would allow customizable sustained release

  • Drops that allow the medication to get into the eye more easily

  • Tear duct plugs that release medication

In addition, people with glaucoma who take more than one eye drop per day are beginning to see those medications available as a single, combined eye drop. New products include Cosopt (timolol and dorzolamide), Combigan (timolol and brimonidine) and Simbrinza (brinzolamide and brimonidine).
 

Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery

Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) procedures are small cuts or micro-incisions through the cornea that cause the least amount of trauma to the surrounding tissues. Doctors implant a tiny device to allow fluid to drain from the eye, reducing internal pressure. Some devices (iStent) are implanted during cataract surgery. Cataract surgery alone lowers pressure, but the combination of both is more effective and can lower the need for medication.

These new techniques minimize tissue scarring, allowing for the possibility of traditional glaucoma surgery in the future if needed. They also give doctors the opportunity to treat patients earlier and more safely than older surgeries.
 

Monitoring Eye Pressure

An easy, accurate way to measure eye pressure is critical to monitoring the progress of glaucoma and adjusting treatment as needed. For patients that require more frequent testing of their eye pressure, there’s now an at-home tonometer called iCare HOME. There’s no puff of air and no eye drops. The patient can easily share the information with their eye doctor.

If you have a glaucoma diagnosis, you can feel confident that your glaucoma treatment options are only going to improve in the years ahead. Although the disease is not curable, it is very manageable with the right treatment.

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How your eyes change with age

 
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As our bodies age, it is normal to notice that there are decreases in our ability to complete certain functions that may have been natural for us in our youth. Just like our physical strength, the strength of your eyes can also weaken over time.

Several different factors influence how each of us will experience aging. Your genetics can play a pivotal role. Understanding your family history and making sure to communicate this with your health professional can be a great way to monitor changes and spot early signs and symptoms. Exposure to certain chemicals or environments or specific trauma to our eyes can also have an impact on how our eyes age. While the eyes can often recover from traumatic injury or exposure, they may still have a detrimental effect on your vision as you age.

Knowing what age you start to have an increased risk of certain diseases or eye conditions can help you to be prepared when you meet with your optometrist. Here are some of the most common ailments that people experience when they age.
 

Presbyopia

Once you are over 40 years old you may experience a loss in vision at close range. Presbyopia is a normal condition that occurs due to the hardening of the lens in your eye. In the early stages, you can often compensate for small changes to your vision, but as the condition progresses, you will likely need a corrective lens, or choose a surgical procedure. such as Lasik, corneal inlays, refractive lens exchange, and conductive keratoplasty.
 

Cataracts

Cataracts are technically a disease of the eye. However, they are so frequently seen in patients as they age, that they are classified as a normal part of aging. While almost half of the population over 65 have cataracts, that number increases even more by age 70. While it can be frightening to begin losing your vision, cataract surgery is extremely successful and can restore up to 100% of the lost vision. If you notice even small changes to your vision, it is smart to talk to your doctor. Cataract surgery is best performed when the cataracts are small and can be more easily removed.
 

Macular Degeneration

This disease is the leading cause of blindness in senior citizens in the United States.
 

Glaucoma

The risk of developing glaucoma generally begins when you are in your 40’s with a near one percent chance and increases throughout the decades with a twelve percent by the time you are in your 80’s.
 

Diabetic Retinopathy

Individuals who have diabetes may be affected by diabetic retinopathy. This disease occurs when blood sugar levels are elevated for an extended period that causes damage to the eye. This damage may lead to permanent vision loss. Americans with diabetes over the age of 40 are at an increased risk, with about 40 percent of people with diabetes over this age displaying some degree of diabetic retinopathy.
 

Other Aging-Related Issues

The previous examples are what we normally imagine when we think about age-related issues and our eyes, but there are other changes that also occur. Some of these can be treated with over the counter medications or eye drops, while others are a natural part of the aging process.
 

Dry Eyes

Our bodies naturally decrease tear production as we age. This reduction can leave your eyes feeling dry. Fortunately, you can use an eye drop or artificial tears solution in order to keep your eyes moist and free from discomfort.
 

Peripheral Vision Loss

Our peripheral field of vision gradually decreases as we age. Researchers suggest that the rate is between 1-3 percent of that field of vision per decade of our life. This means that by the time you reach your 70’s, or 80’s that your peripheral vision could be reduced by as much as 20 to 30 degrees.
 

Seek Help

It’s important to know that you should not attempt to self-diagnose any changes to your eyes. If you experience a change in your vision, it is important to see your eye care professional immediately to prevent additional or unwarranted damage to your eyes and vision.

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Corneal Refractive Therapy

 
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Corneal refractive therapy, also known as CRT, is a simple, painless treatment for refractive eye errors like myopia and has two core benefits. First, it can be used to help patients see clearly during the day without using glasses or contact lenses, giving them the freedom and flexibility that they need to live life to the fullest. Second, CRT has been shown to help slow the progression of myopia, keeping prescriptions under control and potentially reducing the likelihood of patients developing serious eye health problems associated with high myopia in the future. 

Here’s everything that you need to know about corneal refractive therapy and what it means for you. 

Understanding Refractive Eye Problems

Refractive eye problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism are extremely common, with nearsightedness – also known as myopia – being the most common of all. Patients with myopia can see nearby objects clearly, but those further away become progressively more blurred. Refractive eye errors occur when the shape of the clear dome covering the front part of the eye, called the cornea, impair the light-bending and focusing process in your eyes. This leads to the light ending up in the wrong place inside the eye, and the message that is sent to our brain from our eyes is muddled, causing blurred vision. 
 

What Is Corneal Refractive Therapy?

Corneal refractive therapy was initially developed as a treatment to correct and slow the progression of nearsightedness. However, it has also been found to be effective at controlling other refractive errors, including farsightedness, astigmatism and an age-related refractive condition called presbyopia.

CRT is a non-invasive, painless and straightforward method of correcting patient vision so that they don’t need to wear contacts or glasses, and they don’t need laser vision correction surgery to see clearly. CRT uses special contact lenses that are worn overnight and apply light pressure to the cornea in order to reshape it so that light is refracted correctly, and the image sent from the eyes to the brain is clear. The cornea is able to retain this new shape even after the contact lenses are removed the next morning, meaning that you can continue to see clearly for several hours. The more consistently you wear your CRT lenses overnight, the longer your eyes will learn to retain their new shape and eventually, patients can enjoy up to 48 hours of clear vision without using prescription lenses. However, the effects aren’t permanent so if you stop wearing the lenses, your vision will gradually return back to normal over the course of a few days. 

Slowing The Progression Of Myopia With Corneal Refractive Therapy

Another key benefit of CRT is that it can actually help to slow the progression of myopia. Most people who are nearsighted find that their eyesight gets progressively worse as they get older. This deterioration may not be rapid, but it can end in patients requiring high prescriptions. Studies have found that patients who have high myopia are more likely to develop serious eye problems in the future, including glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts and a detached retina. Regular use of your corneal refractive therapy lenses could help keep your prescription stable and lower your risk of developing these problems. 

Am I A Candidate For Corneal Refractive Therapy?

You may be a candidate for corneal refractive therapy if you:

  • Have a myopia prescription within specific parameters

  • Have a prescription for hyperopia, presbyopia or astigmatism within specific parameters

  • Have stable vision, which means that your prescription hasn’t changed during the last two years

  • Are not a suitable candidate for laser vision correction

  • Have a job that makes it impractical or unsafe to wear glasses or contact lenses

  • Enjoy hobbies that make it impractical or unsafe to wear glasses or contact lenses

  • Have healthy eyes and are generally in good health

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Demodex

 
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What Is Demodex?

The Demodex mite is a type of parasite that lives on humans and can reside in hair follicles and sebaceous glands. These mites are arachnid (eight-legged) and invisible to the naked eye, varying in size from 0.1mm to 0.4 mm long. They typically live on the face and in the hair follicles of the eyebrows, eyelids, roots of the eyelashes, facial hair, and around the ears and are associated with various skin problems of the eyes and face, such as blepharitis and acne rosacea.

Demodex can affect humans at any age, but their presence increases in prevalence with increasing age. Immunity compromised patients such as diabetics, patients on long-term corticosteroids or chemotherapy, or patients who have HIV/AIDS also have increased risk and prevalence of Demodex infection. Usually, when the immune system is weakened and the parasitic population has colonized, this disease can badly damage the skin.
 

How Can Demodex Be Transmitted?

For transmission of mites from one person to another, direct contact of hair and sebaceous glands on the nose, or dust containing eggs is required. Since the disease processes begin when there is an overpopulation of Demodex, the vast majority of cases of mites go unobserved and don’t show any adverse symptoms. However, in certain cases, the mite populations migrate and multiply in the eyelashes.
 

What Are The Types Of Demodex?

There are two existing types of Demodex mites: the longer kind, Demodex folliculorum, which live in the hair follicles and the short ones, Demodex brevis, which live in the sebaceous (oil) glands in the skin.
 

What Are The Symptoms Of Demodex?

In the early stages, there are often no noticeable symptoms, but if left untreated Demodex can progress. Symptoms vary among patients and may include dry eye, red eyes, severe itching along the eyelid margin and eyebrow, especially in the morning, eyelid irritation, burning sensation, foreign body sensation that seems to originate beneath the eyelids, heavy lid, and blurry vision. One of the earliest signs of mite infestation is cylindrical dandruff (CD), which is the accumulation of fine, waxy, dry debris that collects at the base of the lash and extends up to 2 mm along the length of the lashes and is most noticeable on the upper lashes.
 

How Is Demodex Diagnosed?

Demodex mites can be diagnosed by a slit-lamp evaluation or by carefully removing and viewing an epilated eyelash under the microscope.
 

How Is Demodex Treated?

Initial treatment involves an in-office lid scrub/débridement which starts with a drop or two of long-lasting anesthetic being instilled. The lashes and eyebrows are then thoroughly débrided. Next, an antibiotic/steroid ointment is applied to help keep the mites from moving and also possibly suffocate them. The steroid also helps in calming down the inflammation secondary to the chemical and mechanical irritation of the in-office treatment, in addition to suppressing any possible inflammatory cascade associated with the decaying mites. The patient should return in 2 weeks and repeat the in-office treatment.
 

What Are The Instructions For Patients With Demodex?

The patients diagnosed with Demodex need to know a few simple instructions:

  • Immediately wash bedding and pillowcases in hot water and dry in a heated dryer before beginning treatment, and once a week thereafter.

  • Wash face, nostrils, hair, external ear and neck with a non-soap cleanser twice daily.

  • Scrub the eyelids with a mild (baby) shampoo.

  • Avoid using makeup for at least 1 week and discard all old makeup.

  • Avoid oil-based cleansers, greasy makeup, lotions, and sunscreens which can provide further “food” for the mites.

  • Exfoliate face once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells and trapped sebum. Keep pets away from sleeping surfaces.

With the proper medical care, treatment, and hygiene, the Demodex count usually drops to zero in 4-6 weeks without recurrence in the majority of cases. Patients receiving therapy show dramatic improvements in symptoms, eye inflammation, tear film stability and vision.

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Ocusoft

 
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Clean eyes are healthy eyes. Nevertheless, our eyes are exposed to countless potentially harmful microorganisms during the course of an ordinary day. This could be anything from dust and pollen, which could cause allergies, or infection-causing bacteria. Daily cleansing is the best way to keep eyes clean and free from debris, but to maximize the effects of your cleaning, it’s important to use products that are designed just for your eyes. Thankfully, there is OCuSOFT.

A large part of the OCuSOFT product line is a selection of non-irritating products that are designed specifically to help remove any oil, debris and pollen from the eyelids and eyes, leaving them as clean and healthy as possible. Here are some of the products that you may be interested in:
 

OCuSOFT Lid Scrub
One of the most popular product categories in the OCuSOFT line, this lid scrub takes the form of a foaming eyelid cleaner. The instant foaming formula helps to remove oil, debris, pollen and contaminants and should be used with a new, soft, clean cleansing pad for each eye. Choose the Platinum Foam variety for extra-strength and additional anti-inflammatory properties that helps to soothe eyes and remove irritation as soon as it is applied.

OCuSOFT Lid Scrub Pre-Moistened Pads
These extra-strength pads are a leave-on formula. Simply place them onto your eyes and relax. While you do so, the formula cleanses your eyelids and removes any contaminants to provide relief from irritation. This product is recommended for moderate to severe eyelid conditions.

OCuSOFT HypoChlor
This product is available as both a gel and a spray and should be used in combination with a surfactant such as OCuSOFT’s lid scrub for the greatest possible level of cleanliness.

OCuSOFT Dry Eye mask
As the name of this product suggests, this mask is designed to help combat a condition called dry eye. Dry eye occurs when the eyes don’t make enough tear film, the quality of the tera film is compromised or it drains away too quickly. The OCuSOFT dry eye mask is a moist heat mask that contains a patent-pending cross hatch design proven to deliver even heat distribution across the eyes. This warmth helps to break up any hardened oil deposits in the meibomian glands that may be contributing towards dry eye.

For more information on keeping your eyes clean and healthy, or to find out more about OCuSOFT products, please speak to your professional eye care experts.

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