This interview with Dr. Fekrat addresses your questions about how to keep your eyes healthy and protect your precious eyesight.
Do you medications cause dry mouth, blurred vision and constipation? If so, you may be taking anticholinergic drugs. What can you do about a dry mouth?
Research suggests that fish oil may be useless for dry eyes, but some readers have gotten significant relief by taking high-dose fish oil supplements.
Although fish oil has a reputation for soothing dry eyes, a recent randomized controlled trial found that placebo capsules of olive oil worked just as well.
Fish oil worked no better than olive oil used as a placebo in a study of treatment for dry eye disease.
Researchers have found that people taking more vitamin D might overcome hard-to-treat symptoms of dry eyes, as one reader did.
Applying wet warm compresses and gentle massage to the eyelids can unblock the oil-forming glands and help dry eyes make better tears.
The new drug Xiidra calms inflammation associated with dry eyes by influencing T cells of the immune system. It works reasonably well, but it's pricey!
Frequent blinking is crucial to keep the surface of the eye moist and reduce the symptoms of dry eyes. Staring at a computer screen can reduce blinking.
Have you ever looked at your electronic medical record to make sure what is written is correct? You might be amazed at how often there are errors.
Restasis for dry eyes may seem like the best option available. The commercials make it sound great. But how good is it really and are there side effects?
Dr. Peter McDonnell, director of the Wilmer Eye Institute, discusses the best treatments for dry eyes.
Taking Myrbetriq for overactive bladder seems to have caused a long-lasting complication of dry eyes. What should we know about drugs before using them?
Tiotropium, the active ingredient in Spiriva, is an anticholinergic compound. Anticholinergic drugs can cause dry mouth, connstipation and mental fogginess.
A number of medications can cause unpleasantly dry eyes as a side effect of taking the drug. One reader reports this with the blood pressure pill losartan.
Dry eyes can be caused by reduced tear production or increased evaporation from the eye's surface, but doctors rarely mention dry eyes as a drug side effect.