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There is no way to deny the potential impact of blue light, given the digital era we are in. To put this into perspective, there are approximately 340 million Americans, [...]

Although most clinicians consider dry eye and blepharitis as milder forms of ocular surface disease (OSD), they aren't to most patients, and masquerading conditions can be disfiguring or even life-threatening. [...]

As the clinical battle against the growing prevalence of dry eye continues, the industry has responded with new products and novel approaches to address this debilitating condition afflicting millions of [...]

Artificial intelligence is the current buzzword in all walks of life, but few know that it was first coined in 1956! It has taken time for technology to catch up [...]

Oncology has seen tremendous advancements in a few short years, including multiple FDA approvals in a rapidly expanding class of targeted therapies known as antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs. These cancer-targeting [...]

The world of retina care continues to move at a rapid rate; staying on top of these advances can enhance our ability to practice fully, provide vision, prevent blindness and [...]

The world of dry eye disease (DED) is exploding, with an estimated 40 million Americans having the condition. (1) The good news--the recent release of new products into the market [...]

Let's dive into both worlds and explore new treatments. Corneal disease has always been a mainstay of optometry, and perhaps the reason we love it is that all the answers [...]

Untangling the Causes and Effects of DEMODEX BLEPHARITIS By Milton M. Horn, OD, FAAO; Paul M. Karpecki, OD, FAAO; and Ben Gaddie, OD First, there was dry eye, then it [...]

Demodex blepharitis is a significant public health challenge that rests largely on the shoulders of optometry. This condition is extremely prevalent and highly consequential in terms of patients' quality of [...]

Earn 2 CE Credits (COPE APPROVED) Presbyopia is front and center in most practices because it affects a wide age range of people, and patients are very vocal about their [...]

Every day, patients are referred for treatment of corneal-involved ocular surface diseases such as persistent epithelial defect (PED), recurrent corneal erosion (RCE), and epithelial basement membrane dystrophy (EBMD), among others. [...]

In all medical specialties, doctors have long relied on glucocorticoid therapy. However, it's well-known that systemic glucocorticoid treatments (e.g, oral prednisone) affect other cells in the body. In some patients, [...]

I recently took my daughter to urgent care for an upper respiratory infection and the doctor recommended OTC decongestants; I was miffed. I informed him that I had already tried [...]

The motivation for new diagnostic equipment has changed over the years. When I graduated, a well-known practice management consultant told me to determine how long it would take for reimbursement [...]

The new year is always an incredible opportunity to make a new start; to dream of the potential you want to achieve and then make it happen. The journey and [...]

Dear Colleagues, For many years, we in eye care had few reliable options to offer patients in the area of ocular redness relief due to minor eye irritation--commonly from conjunctival [...]

We are fortunate to have numerous interventions designed to address the ocular symptoms and local inflammatory component of chronic dry eye disease (DED), but treatment options for the neurological control [...]

Dry eye can be caused or exacerbated by many things, not the least of which is dehydration. Indeed, we have long been aware of the multifactorial nature of dry eye [...]

New meds and new laws give us unprecedented options. Dig in! I like the term surgical 'privileges, ' as it implies something you've earned, received and should maintain with pride [...]

Ocular surface disease (OSD) is right in front of us. Perhaps you have to express meibomian glands and have patients look down so you can scan their eyelids and instill [...]

During Reviews New Technologies & Treatments in Eye Care conference in Savannah, GA in August, I had the honor of providing a big-picture talk to the Intrepid Eye Society, which [...]

It's becoming clear that glaucoma patients are not compliant with topical medications if there is irritation upon instillation or the integrity of the ocular surface and vision is compromised. Here, [...]

It's been said, 'You can easily do any job as long as you have the right tool.' Optometrists may overlook valuable tools at their disposal to provide premium care to [...]

Correcting Presbyopia Using innovative IOL Technology Patient lifestyles and evolving technology are transforming the way we treat the growing population of presbyopic patients. Today's presbyopes live their lives differently than [...]

If we had addressed telemedicine back in March 2020, when we were forced to temporarily shut down our offices due to COVID, this would have been the number one topic [...]

We're in the early days of the rollout of Xdemvy (lotilaner ophthalmic solution 0.25% Tarsus), the first FDA-approved prescription medication for Demodex blepharitis, a condition that affects at least 25 [...]

The greatest ideas are often so simple that one's response is, 'Why didn't I think of that?' Simple doesn't mean lack of innovation, though. Just look at Post-it Notes and [...]

Although the market may be saturated with dry eye disease (DED) treatments, there is a new medication with the potential to separate itself from the rest. Last month the FDA [...]

With the recent approval of Syfovre (pegcetacoplan injection, Apellis Pharmaceuticals) for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD)/geographic atrophy (GA), we have a great opportunity to lead and individualize patient management. Each [...]

Last month I talked about the new eyecare products available today, but there were too many to list in one column. Here, I'll discuss the rest of the lesser-known but [...]

It's hard to keep up with all the new eyecare products available today. This month, I'll point out some lesser-known innovations that help improve treatment outcomes and improve disease diagnosis. [...]

Over the past few months, three companies announced their second pivotal Phase III FDA trial results for novel ocular surface disease agents, and the results aren't just promising--they are exciting, [...]

Dry eye, as we understand it today, is entirely different than it was 20--or even 10--years ago. Of course, the disease itself has not changed, but our understanding of it [...]

We often think about our dry eye patients' daytime experiences and how these may exacerbate their symptoms. But in fact, the greater culprit may be lurking in a patient's nighttime [...]

It's an exciting time for optometrists prescribing therapeutics. A number of blockbuster topical ophthalmic drugs should become available within a year and can potentially make a big impact for you [...]

The old adage holds true for clinical practice--an accurate diagnosis is key to a successful outcome. The latest innovative diagnostic technologies are becoming mainstream either because they replace testing that [...]

In many ways, 2022 was tough for our profession, but a new year brings hope for a major turnaround--and it's very likely to occur. One reason is that optometry is [...]

Refinement of our conception of tear film structure has taken us from seeing mucins as a standalone layer to an integral part of the mucoaqueous matrix. (1) Mucins contribute very [...]

Leading With Innovation In today's advancing world of eye care, it is essential for eye care professionals to be aware of innovations in the marketplace, and to introduce those advancements [...]

The dry eye population is estimated to be more than 10 times that of other common conditions such as glaucoma. (1) The ongoing Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS) provided a [...]

It behooves us to both know where our patients' needs lie and provide the comprehensive care that is within our scope of practice. Performing advanced laser procedures can significantly help [...]

There are many similarities between eye care and dentistry. Why am I bringing up dentistry in an optometry magazine? Preventing ocular surface disease (OSD) is imperative to keeping our patients' [...]

Patients and prescribes have no interaction with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), yet these administrators usually take home more than half of the money generated from each Rx filled. They serve [...]

Don't be fooled by its name: vernal keratoconjunctivitis can cause problems year-round. Heed these pearls to aid care. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) has long challenged eye care professionals, particularly due to [...]

Our profession sees around 85% of all comprehensive eye exams. (1) We are the ideal providers of primary eye care, from the treatment of refractive error to the diagnosis and [...]

Finding a 'subspecialty' in optometry can enhance your practice life. One big area of focus right now, but in ample need of more doctors, is myopia management. Let's take a [...]

While the entertainment world has numerous virtual reality (VR) headsets for gaming and exploring, optometry has similar and exciting opportunities for use of this tech in visual field (VF), macular [...]

Hyaluronic acid (HA) eye drops (i.e., sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronan) are the most commonly used dry eye therapies in Europe and Asia. (1) Even our Canadian neighbors have an over-the-counter [...]

Keratitis is a rather nonspecific term and one we should try to move away from in pursuit of greater specificity, as inflammation of the cornea can be caused by injuries, [...]