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Latest News

LATEST NEWS! This column will carry the latest news for ADP-EyeCare patients and/or prospective patients. 

24/11/2024: Andrew D Price will be commencing a new Dry Eye Clinic at Maskell & Josephson, Altrincham in early 2025.

15/11/2024: Beth Ralph now 'Holder of Omnigen Amniotic Membrane Training Certificate'.

07/11/2024: Warning. US FDA publish warning letter to 'Fancy Drops Beauty LLC' regarding colour changing eye drops readily available via UK internet supply. 

05/11/2024: SW & C Jackson of Nantwich have extended their Dry Eye Clinic to Mondays and Saturdays. 

11/10/2024: SW & C Jackson of Nantwich are finalists in Optician Journal Technology Practice of 2024 awards.

29/09/2024: SW & C Jackson of Nantwich are Practice of the Year - Optical Sucess Academy.

27/09/2024: Recall Alert  - The Healthy Magazine reports - "The major pharmaceutical company Allergan, owned by AbbVie, has issued a recall of two eye ointments under the Refresh brand that are targeted to treat dry eye".

25/09/2024: 'Sensitive cilia - eye lashes in health and disease', a new entry in The Blog.

17/09/2024: SW & C Jackson of Nantwich add another weekly clinic for Andrew D Price.

08/09/2024: Mrs Badfield's testimonial added to Andrew D Price Portfolio.  

25/08/2024: Warning. Types of Eye colour changing eye drops - see FDA letter

25/08/2024: Recall Alert -Home Bargains/EM Pharma is recalling some bottles of its Optivive Allergy Eye Mist - Soothing 10ml. Go to Manchester Evening News, as one of many papers covering the news.

14/08/2024: Product alert - the USA Dry Eye Foundation is warning consumers against using Aqua Naina Sterile Saline Solution with any contact lenses, including scleral lenses. Read why at DEF. This product is available in the UK.

12/08/2024: All new patients attending their first dry eye assessment with Andrew D Price will be provided with an EziDrops applicator for safe and effective eye drop instillation. 

26/07/2024: MHRA Drug Safety Update - Epimax Ointment and Epimax Paraffin-Free Ointment: Reports of ocular surface toxicity and ocular chemical injury. Go to MHRA to see more.

21/04/2024: Eye Drop Problems Part 2 Go to The Blog

03/06/2024: New video on Zest treatment added to In-Practice Treatment page.

21/04/2024: Eye Drop Problems Part 1 Go to The Blog

18/04/2024: Andrew D Price now 'Holder of Omnigen Amniotic Membrane Training Certificate'.

12/03/2024: Travel Tips Go to The Blog

 

 

 

 

 

Dry or Watery Eyes – help is at hand!

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If you are affected by dry or watery eyes a dedicated specialist evaluation in a dedicated clinic is available. Effective treatment plans now offer help to the vast majority of dry/watery eye patients. ADP-EyeCare practitioners are always looking for steps forward in the examinations and care for patients, so not every test, exam, treatment, therapy or product is delivered in the same way by every practitioner at the same time, there is a constant process to evaluate and seek to improve already excellent results.  

Burning, stinging, grittiness, itching, soreness, tired eyes – these may be Dry Eye symptoms

dry or watery eyes Eye - Tear Film

 

 

Common symptoms can include:
  • Burning/stinging
  • Grittiness
  • Light sensitivity
  • Eye redness
  • Variable vision/eye tiredness
  • Contact lens discomfort
  • Excessive watery eyes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms can be varied in nature and degree, they can occur more in some environments and when doing certain tasks, and interestingly many patients don’t relate these symptoms to dryness. Sometimes these symptoms only occur, or are worse in warm, dry, air conditioned environments, in the office or on aircraft. Certain tasks such as reading, using a computer or driving can also exacerbate the problems. If this sounds familiar help is almost certainly available.

What is causing the symptoms?

There is more than one form of dry/watery eye; there may be an insufficiency of quantity of tears, a reduction in the quality of tears or a combination of both. Recent research has shown the quality of tears to be the most common factor.

Factors that influence your tears

ME CheckInfluences can be:

  • Disease such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and diabetes
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Skin conditions
  • Medications
  • Increasing age
  • Eye/lid infection/inflammation

Many patients have tried, without success, to address their dry/watery Eye symptoms for many years. Probably trying some of the many drops, either prescribed or off the shelf. In many cases these have given little or no relief.

Here is a real life example of a a successful treatment for a lid condition, the patient, a contact lens wearer, had found lenses becoming increasing uncomfortable over years, even having to attend an eye hospital while abroad, trying many different dry eye drops or having new lenses prescribed didn't help. Below are images taken before and after specific treatment that not only resolved the lid appearance but solved the contact lens discomfort problems as well.

superior lid and lashes, 16 March 2019 superior lid and lashes, 13 April 2019
superior lid and lashes
16 March 2019		 superior lid and lashes,
13 April 2019

 

How can we help?

Please express your interest in a Dry Eye Assessment by email (please see specific regions below), so an appointment can be structered to help you best, include your symptoms and previous eye care both self-treatments and professional. These Dry Eye Clinic appointments are not funded by the NHS so a private fee will be payable, you will be advised of that before making the appointment. a detailed assessment of your dry/watery eye, may include some of, if not more than, the following steps:

  • Health and medication history
  • Symptoms/Past dry/watery eye treatments
  • Tear quantity/quality assessments
  • Microscope examination of the front of the eye and lids
  • Scanning/imaging of your eye and lids
  • At end of the Dry Eye Assessment the findings will be discussed and a treatment plan recommended. You may be offered in-practice treatments and/or instructed you fully on how to obtain the best benefit on use of treatments you can do at home, then a follow-up visit to monitor progress will be arranged.

What do I do next?

If you would like to contact us for non-urgent eye care discussions related to dry eyes or contact lenses you can  by email:

  • Andrew D Price (Nantwich, Glossop, Widnes or general enquiries) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  
  • Elizabeth Ralph (East Midlands and South Yorkshire) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
  • Vanessa Uden (Surrey, Hants, Berks) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
  • Mr Ganeshbabu Mahalingam (West Yorkshire) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Mr Mohamed Ayyaz Kasmani BSc(Hons) MCOptom (West London) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
  • Mr Colin Jones FBDO(Hons) CL (Widnes) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Personal portfolios can be found here: 

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Dry/Watery Eye FAQs

Eye makeup and skin care used in and around the eyes is a potential source of irritation, inflammation, infection, allergy and possibly adverse permanant changes to eye health. As just one example out of many aspects of eye cosmetics Amy Gallant Sullivan, Creator of 'Èyes Are The Story' highlights eyelash extensions; "eyelash extensions aren’t always pretty, lash extensions can cause irritation, conjunctivitis, keratitis, and even severe allergic reactions. False eyelashes can promote the risk of bacterial & fungal infection. Eyelash extensions can even cause eyelash loss! Watch the video for more information on lash extension.

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You will find the Eyes Are The Story web site here.

Kathyrn Chidwick BSc(Hons) Ophthalmic Dispensing, in a recent article in Re:View the ABDO College journal, discussed the possible contamination and infections from ocular cosmetics. Her critical research analysis found studies that revealed high contamination of ocular cosmetic products being used by patients with potential sight-threatning bacteria and fungi. It is strongly advisable for ocular cosmetics not to be shared or used past their expiry date. 

The same research analysis found studies showing eye liner can destabilise the tear film and block the vital meibomian glands in the eye lid. Many skin-care products contain retinoids, these may cause or excerbate meibomian gland dysfunction. 

Alllergic reactions to the multitude of chemicals found in ocular cosmetics have been known for many years, even leading to a dermatitis condition on the eye lids, from the ocular cosmetics themselves, or hair products. 

The complete article can be found in the December 2021 issue of Re:View  .

Application

Always apply makeup outside the lash line and apply mascara from the tips rather than the roots of the lashes, preferably to the top lashes only.

Never apply eye makeup over the oil glands that line the very edge of your upper and lower lids, just inside the eyelash line. These are the glands that secrete oils to keep the eye lubricated. If you need to use an eye drop, apply it 15-30 minutes before putting on your makeup.

Removal

It is a must to remove makeup before bed. Sleeping with eye makeup on can lead to clogging of the oil producing glands and eye infections. Try a gel based product that is oil and paraben free. Avoid getting the makeup remover into the eyes as this may irritate them further.
Avoid mineral oil, sodium lauryl sulfate, and diazolidinyl urea. While they work well to remove makeup, they are known to cause irritation to the eyes.
A gentle lid scrub with baby shampoo on a clean cotton pad or soft cloth or a store bought lid scrub can help remove excess makeup and unclog the eye’s oil glands.
 

Makeup Hygiene

Keeping makeup applicators clean is critical to keep infection at bay. Make sure to sharpen your makeup pencils before application to remove the top coat of bacteria. Also, wash makeup brushes as well as using a brush cover to keep them clean. Avoid using store samples, but if you must make sure to use a fresh applicator.
Do not use the same applicator on different parts of the face. For example, do not use the same pencil on your lips and your eyes.
Avoid sharing makeup with anyone else and using makeup past its expiration date. As a rule of thumb, dispose of your eye makeup every three to six months. You can keep a marker in your makeup kit to note the date the makeup was opened.
Do not use any type of eye makeup if you have an eye infection and see your optometrist right away. If you do develop an infection, throw away all your eye makeup and buy a new set to start with after your optometrist OKs you wearing it again.
Always wash your hands before applying makeup and avoid using saliva to assist in putting your makeup on as this could lead to an eye infection.
 

Makeup Type

The tiny particles in glitter and powder based shadows and foundation can get into and aggravate the eyes. Instead sparingly use cream shadows, highlighters and foundations.
Use a thickening mascara instead of lash-lengthening or waterproof ones as they are less likely to flake and get into the eyes.
Stick with hypoallergenic brands to avoid excess irritation. Avoid makeup with arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, carmine, lead, nickel, selenium, and thallium.
 

Find Alternatives

A plastic eyelash curler is a great alternative to mascara. (The metal in regular eyelash curlers can cause irritation and dryness around the eye).
You might also get away with less eyelid makeup if you concentrate on your eyebrows instead.
 

If you suffer from severe and chronic dry eye and are intolerant of eye makeup try highlighting other aspects of you face, such as your lips and cheeks, which allows you to highlight your natural beauty without ever touching your eyes.

Eyelash extensions

These have grown in popularity due to beauty trends favoring the appearance of more robust eyelashes and eyebrows. Eyelash extensions are synthetic fibers (e.g. polyester) that are applied on the natural lashes using glue that may contain chemicals such as formaldehyde, lead, and benzoic acid.  Allergic reactions to eyelash glue can be serious as well as associated complications including keratoconjunctivits, contact dermatis and blepharitis, conjunctival and corneal erosion, subconjunctival hemorrhage. To prevent complications arising from eyelash extensions, both the patients and the beauty industry should learn the potential complications of the procedure and the ingredients of the glue and lash removers should be strictly regulated and monitored.

 

Yes, it is possible. Many general health conditions have a role in dry eye and/or blepharitis. At your Dry Eye Assessment we will want to know about your general health and health conditions/treatments you have had in the past. We believe it is simply not possible to address your dry eye condition and best help you without knowing this information. Just as one example, rheumatoid arthritis or other types of inflammatory disease are a risk factor in dry eye disease, so if that is the case we would want to manage it specifically, another good reason why self-treatment with self-selected eye drops is not advised.

Yes, it is possible. Many general and eye medications and the conditions they are taken for can exacerbate the general condition called dry eye. At your Dry Eye Assessment we will want to know your medications, food supplements and ask about your diet, do you eat oily fish for instance. We believe it is simply not possible to address your dry eye condition and best help you without knowing this information. Importantly we very rarely advocate a medication change but rather work with your medication prescriber to manage your dry eye condition, certainly you should not change medication in any way without consulting your doctor or pharmacist.

On an allied point there are available specific dry eye food supplements with evidence of effectiveness available, but these are contra-indicated if you are taking certain medications or other food supplements, we will advise you at your Dry Eye Assessments. 

As in the ‘hot flannels’ question, this advice, although well meaning, is not based on any evidence of its effectiveness. In fact there is evidence that it can adversely affect vital glands on the eye surface that contribute to good quality tears. It also has a detergent effect, which actually beaks up the tear film. Its use has never been proposed by the manufacturers of such a product, and recently a well-known global producer of ‘baby shampoo’ officially wrote to an UK ophthalmologist strongly supporting his advice against its use. 

VIDEO HERE

If this was the question in 1975, perhaps so, if only because we didn’t understand the complexity of the eye lids or the tears then and we had nothing better. This approach was neither safe (risk of it being too hot and/or very unhygienic) or effective (the required heat is not maintained for nowhere near long enough). In 2020, with our much better understanding of the ocular surface, lids and tears we know much better. Heat application alone is not usually sufficient to help one of the types of dry eye (the type of dry eye needs to identified correctly) most Eye Care Professionals, who understand dry eye/blepharitis would not advocate their use.

Yes, most glaucoma drops have preservatives within them to protect against contamination. Very often the continued application of these very necessary drops, with their preservatives, to the eye can cause eye surface inflammation and irritation.
Many of the same age group of patients using glaucoma drops are predisposed to dry eye, these two factors (preservatives and dry eye) often mean the eye is not comfortable.
The answer is NOT to stop using the glaucoma drops, they are vital, it may well be, after a specific Dry Eye Assessment, the dry eye and effects of the glaucoma drops can be managed better, leading to the eyes being more comfortable and, evidence has shown, the glaucoma drops being more effective.

Although a few specific dry eye drops have very sophisticated formulations, even they don’t have ability to stay on the eye’s surface for many hours. Most dry eye drops, with more basic components, will have only have an effect for one or two hours.
The answer, in many cases, following a specific Dry Eye Assessment and diagnosis (there are different types of dry eye) is to treat the eye’s surface in addition to the use of very particular drops. Once the particular cause is identified in the exam, targeted therapy can be advised, sometimes aided by in-practice treatment. The very good news is that this approach gives me, and more importantly, my patients a 95% success rate!