Dry eye treatment doesn't have to be complicated when you understand the habits sabotaging your progress. In this episode of the Dr. Eye Health podcast, Dr. Joseph Allen reveals seven common mistakes that worsen dry eye disease and prevent healing—even when you're using eye drops regularly. From digital eye strain and screen time to neglecting eyelid hygiene and choosing the wrong artificial tears, these overlooked factors could be the reason your eyes aren't improving. Discover practical, evidence-based solutions for managing environmental triggers, improving tear film quality, and finally getting relief from chronic irritation.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ How excessive screen time disrupts your blinking patterns and accelerates tear film evaporation, plus strategies to reduce digital eye strain

✅ Why using the wrong eye drops with harsh preservatives like BAK can make dry eyes worse

✅ The critical role of eyelid hygiene in preventing blepharitis and inflammation that blocks oil glands and worsens dry eye symptoms

✅ How environmental factors, autoimmune conditions, diet, and even sleeping with eyes partially open contribute to chronic dry eye disease

Subscribe to the Doctor Eye Health Podcast for trusted vision care education and expert insights that help you understand the powerful connection between lifestyle choices and your eye health.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Seven bad habits that worsen dry eye disease despite using eye drops and treatments

(00:57) Excessive screen time reduces blinking frequency and causes incomplete blinks, accelerating tear film evaporation

(01:44) Environmental factors like air conditioning contribute to dry eyes, as well as a lack of eyelid hygiene and cleaning eyelashes, which prevents blepharitis

(03:45) Avoiding harmful eye drops with BAK preservatives and choosing preservative-free artificial tears, and sleeping with eyes partially open

(05:31) Not managing other health conditions and eating food and drink that cause inflammation

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 Sleeping with eyes partially open causes chronic overnight exposure that prevents corneal healing—Use nighttime ointments, sleep masks, or eyelid tape for protection

💎 "Get the red out" drops containing vasoconstrictors create a rebound effect, making redness and irritation worse over time

💎 Managing underlying health conditions like diabetes, rosacea, and hormone issues is essential, as these trigger inflammatory flare-ups that worsen dry eye symptoms

ABOUT THE GUEST:

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Website: Doctor Eye Health

YouTube: Doctor Eye Health

Instagram: @doctoreyehealth

TikTok: Doctor Eye Health

Facebook: Doctor Eye Health

LinkedIn: Dr. Joseph Allen

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The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content and information is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor or health professional. In addition, some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning, at no cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Doctor Eye Health, Dr Joseph Allen, Vision, Eye Health, Eye Health Tips, Dry Eye Treatment, Dry Eye Disease, Eye Drops, Digital Eye Strain, Screen Time, Eyelid Hygiene, Artificial Tears, Blepharitis, Dry Eye Symptoms, Autoimmune Conditions, Excessive Screen Time, Tear Film Evaporation

[00:00:21] So today we are gonna review these seven common habits and share some tips on how to fix them. But before we dive in. Welcome back to the Dr. Eye Health Podcast, where we make eyecare simple, understandable, and truly actionable. Here you'll get evidence-based insights, expert interviews, and practical strategies to help you protect your vision and take control of your overall health.

[00:01:05] Lifestyle, and I hate to say it, but I'll admit this is something I am very guilty of too, and that is of excessive screen use. Research has shown that we don't blink as often when we're hyper-focused on digital screens. And when we do blink, we also tend to not blink our eyes completely, meaning our eyes are more exposed to open air in our tear film.

[00:01:46] Your surroundings, as many things in our environment can contribute to dryness of the eye. When you're outside, certainly wind is a common culprit, but when you're indoors, you have air conditioning, you have heating, you have fans that you may be using, and then even [00:02:00] allergies and even the humidity of where you live can all be factors.

[00:02:27] So just be aware of what you could be allergic to and try to eliminate those. From your living areas. There are also eye drops specifically for allergies, but certainly talk to your doctor if they think those are the best option for you. As some medications for allergies can make dry eyes worse. Now, number three is something that I see a lot of in the eye clinic.

[00:03:17] In the eyelids, which happens to be a major contributing factor for dry eye disease. So try to clean your eyelids and eyelashes every one to two days with some form of an eyelid wipe or eyelid cleanser. There's many different brands of these sort of products on the market, but I'll put some of my favorites.

[00:03:55] And this oftentimes leads to not only those drops not working very [00:04:00] well, but also in some cases may even make their dry eyes worse. The common culprits for this are the get the red out drops, as these drops have additives in them that help constrict blood vessels on the eye to make the eyes appear wider.

[00:04:37] That is why you always hear doctors recommending free eyedrops or to be looking for a newer eyedrop that is preserved with something. Other than BAK. Now, bad habit number five, and most people won't know that they're in fact doing this, but do you ever wake up and your eyes are more dry right away in the morning?

[00:05:25] Again, there are several brands of all of these, but I'll put some of my favorites in the description below so you can check those out. Bad habit number six comes from either not managing or just simply ignoring other health conditions. This includes autoimmune conditions, diabetes, rosacea, and hormone issues.

[00:06:03] And this is again, something that I am occasionally guilty of myself and just the other weekend I had a cheat day and allowed myself to enjoy. Pizza and beer, which was delicious. But that next morning I woke up and my eyelids, my whole face felt swollen and puffy. And it's true that our diets and what foods we eat can trigger inflammatory events throughout our whole body.

[00:06:52] Alright, so that wraps up our look at the seven bad habits that make dry eye worse. The good news is that. Even small [00:07:00] changes, whether it's your use of screens, how often you blink, or how you care for your eyelids, they can all make a huge difference in your day-to-day comfort. And if this episode helped you understand your dry eye even just a little better, make sure to follow the podcast so that you don't miss what is coming next.

[00:07:35] Take care of your eyes. Take care of yourself. And we'll see you in the next episode. You've been listening to the Dr. Eye Health Podcast with Dr. Joseph Allen. For more resources, trusted information, and helpful tools, visit dr eye health.com. Thanks for joining the community that's focused on healthier eyes and a healthier life.