The Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) highlighted the link between lifestyle and eye health, specifically the ocular surface, in its 2023 TFOS Lifestyle Report.
“Patients’ lifestyle choices can result in unintended consequences that threaten ocular surface health,” the authors write in the TFOS Lifestyle Report Executive Summary “Lifestyle Trends – Ocular Surface Diseases.” There is.
The authors emphasized the vulnerability of the ocular surface from the external environment, directly applied products, and the internal environment.
lack of awareness
Nick Atkins, managing director at Positive Impact, said: ‘Lifestyle encompasses so many things, from eating healthy to spending time outdoors and time spent looking at screens at work or at home. ” I looked back.
He said the impact of cosmetics and false eyelashes on the ocular surface and dry eye disease had recently come to the forefront of discussion, but added: Needless to say, the general public is completely unaware of these issues. ”
Atkins suggested that eye care professionals are beginning to become more aware of the use of cosmetics around the eyes, as eye-safe cosmetics are now widely available.
Positive Impact’s Dry Eye Zone portfolio includes cosmetic products designed to avoid the use of ingredients that can worsen dry eye conditions.
These include Eyes Are The Story, a cosmetic brand specifically designed around eye health, and Lash Builder, an eyelash serum containing non-synthetic prostaglandin analogs.
Education is key and the entire practice team is involved. Atkins explained: “I think there is a great opportunity for front-of-house teams to be involved in this process.”
He suggested that healthcare professionals could reach out to suppliers for training to support them in discussing products with patients.
When talking to dry eye patients, Atkins said, “It’s important to go beyond advising on dry eye options that can obviously have an impact, such as eyelid hygiene, eye drops, and oral supplements.”
“This situation is completely compromised if patients are then free to go home and use products such as allergens and retinol in the periocular area, which are known to be toxic to the ocular surface. It will happen,” he added.
Providing advice to patients about ingredients and eye-safe cosmetics is “equally essential”, says Atkins, and sharing information about correct application methods, such as not using eyeliner on the eyelid rim, is also important. He said that.
“Doctors need to make the use of cosmetic products part of the protocols given to patients to best manage dry eye,” he concluded.
positive impact
Emphasis on education
Sam Weimer, director of sales and marketing at The Body Doctor, told OT that while many patients are aware that lifestyle factors can affect their overall eye health, they He said there may not be a link between habits and dry eye disease.
For example, Professor Weimer noted that despite concerns about prolonged screen time, not all patients follow recommendations to take regular screen breaks. Similarly, patients who wear makeup may need to be reminded not to sleep with it on or continue using old products.
“Health care providers are focused on educating patients about the impact that lifestyle factors have on dry eye disease. This includes discussions about screen time, environmental conditions, diet, makeup, and hydration. ” he said.
In addition to solutions for various severities of dry eye, The Body Doctor offers products to meet lifestyle needs, including MacuPrime and ReMind supplements and The Eye Doctor Hypochlorous Acid Eyelid Cleansing Spray.
Weimer said the company has made learning and development of its practitioners a priority through CPD webinars, lectures and events.
He commented, “Optometrists, contact lens opticians, and dispensing opticians play an important role in educating patients about the impact of lifestyle factors on dry eye symptoms and solutions.”
Discussing how patients can consider incorporating dry eye products and treatments into their lifestyle, Dr. Weimer said, “Daily routines can be recommended that include dry eye treatments such as heat, irrigation, and resuscitation.” ” he said.
The Eye Doctor Dry Eye Kit was developed to make it easy for patients to purchase all the products they need, including compresses, eyelid wipes, and eye drops, packaged in a bag for storage and transportation.
ophthalmologist
respect the eyes
Scope Eye Care and Healthcare launched a new brand and product in July that offers makeup cleansers with eye surfaces in mind.
Explaining the background to the development, Edel Duffy, Scope’s medical director, told OT: This may be due to the use of digital devices or cosmetics, for example. ”
Patients look to their eye care professionals for recommendations, Duffy explains. “You want to choose something that you know is not harmful and has been thoroughly tested on the ocular surface.”
She suggested that it’s very difficult to find products that are formulated for sensitive skin and are “ocular surface friendly” at the same time.
The new Optase Life Sensitive Eye Makeup Remover features patented ionized water that surrounds your makeup, lifting makeup from your skin with less friction without stripping lipids from your skin.
This product has undergone dermatological testing in addition to tests commonly performed on eye care products, including tear film breakdown time, conjunctival inflammation, redness, visual acuity, and general tolerance to the product. Masu.
Hear more from Edel Duffy about Scope’s new products
“This is not about the surface of the eye, it’s about the area around the eye, but we wanted to be very respectful of the eye area, the eye itself, and the surface of the eye and the tear film.” Duffy explained.
She added, “What’s unique about this product is that it has been done to ensure that it respects the ocular surface of dry eye patients, who have sensitive eyes.”
Discussion about makeup and cleansing routines should form part of the conversation about actual eye care, especially if you think the patient may not be removing makeup effectively and is showing signs of dry eye. Possibly.
“Make-up left on or around the eye after slit lamp exposure can cause both eye sensitivity and dry eye,” Duffy said.
She suggested that in the past it may have been difficult for practitioners to advise patients, “standing behind something and knowing the science that it actually works and respecting the ocular surface.” It’s difficult to know.”
Duffy added: “Now is the best time to bring it up because we can give solutions. I think it will get people talking.”
