For many Americans, grabbing a bottle of eye drops at the store is just something you do without much thought.  Whether your eyes are red, itchy, watery, or just feel like something is irritating them, grabbing a drop is the go-to solution.  But what are you really picking up when you grab an eye drop off the shelf?  And does what you select really matter?  We're breaking down the biggest myths and misconceptions about the $540 million a year over the counter eye drop industry!

As a dry eye sufferer myself (especially when flying or travelling), I like to keep artificial tears in my purse or carry-on bag at all times.  You never know when your eyes are going to feel uncomfortable!  If you are flying, I highly recommend putting in a drop before the flight takes off, and then if it's a long flight, reinserting each time you are fed a meal.  This can help prevent major red eye and sandy/gritty discomfort when you land!

Picture this: a sunny summer evening at a rooftop party in New York City atop the design studio of CFDA award winning designer, Christian Siriano.  Everything is decked out in white marble, gold, and a variety of pinks. Models hustle up and down the stairs for quick changes, showcasing Siriano's resort wear looks to a posh young crowd of fashion insiders and social media influencers.

If you've been diagnosed with dry eye in the last decade, you've likely been recommended fish oil/omega-3 supplements by your doctor.  Multiple studies since the early 2000's had indicated that dietary omega-3 intake was both anti-inflammatory and could improve signs and symptoms of dry eye over the course of a few months. The newly published DREAM study (Dry Eye Assessment and Management Study) funded by the National Institute of Health however is making waves by calling into question prior studies showing omega supplementation's effectiveness. In fact, the DREAM study showed patients with dry eye taking omega-3 supplements achieved no better outcomes than placebo.  The results are raising more questions than answers as doctors try to make sense of the study that was designed to be the largest investigation of omega supplements and dry eye to date.

Recommending omega-3 supplements has been standard of care for dry eye treatment for over a decade, but new research is calling the practice into question. via

For those of us in the eyewear industry, it's often hard to see past the "way things are done" and find true innovation. Many of us grew up wearing glasses, grew up shopping for glasses, and in our careers have talked and touched and troubleshooted glasses thousands upon thousands of times.  What familiarity and experience can't give us though, is a new way of looking at things.

Enter Wesley Knight, the unlikely young artist who's making a name in eyecare by doing everything differently. Knight didn't up wearing glasses or with any family association or experience within the industry. Growing up in a creative household, he found a passion for sewing and garment construction, constantly challenging himself with new materials and ideas. He was experimenting with design using an old cow horn when the idea of horn rimmed glasses first came to mind.  Only problem was, he had no idea how to make glasses. 

via

There are no books or classes or local tradesmen that you can learn from to find a pattern for making glasses from horn.  His design process centered around the material first, and he worked backwards from there to construct his own patterns to make the glasses themselves.  What started as a project fueled by curiosity led to a passion that would become his career.  In 2013 he launched his own bespoke eyewear business in Nashville, TN and success came quickly. That year he was a runner-up for Garden & Gun Magazine's prestigious Made in the South Awards, and the success from that feature eventually led to his moving from Nashville to a studio in New York City in 2017.  Just this April he was featured in the New York Post, merely a month after attending his first ever Loft Eyewear Show during Vision Expo East.

A frame takes shape, via Instagram

Why Bespoke?
In 2018 the idea of bespoke is trending big, but in eyewear its concept is often over applied.  For Knight, bespoke has a meaning that is a true calling: "The word bespoke represents a relationship between man and maker. When I build bespoke I always tell my clients we build it together. Bespoke is an intimate process of creating functional art that you wear 12-14 hours a day. It has to be perfect."

Because of this passion for his craft, Knight's process is a lot different from the traditional optical experience.  From the humble beginnings of old cow horn, he's now using sustainably sourced water buffalo horn from India, lighter than plastic and with the added benefit of being absorbent of the oils on our skin and face. Instead of an optical where clients come to shop his designs, Knight typically travels to his client's home or office and gets to know their personal style and aesthetic. Each frame is custom designed for his clients, usually over the course of several meetings. The process is interactive between maker and client; Knight will create multiple designs and prototypes until the final design is approved and crafting the horn begins.  The result is a pair of glasses uniquely created for the wearer; designed to perfectly fit the width of a bridge and the bend of an ear, as well as to highlight the person's face shape and proportion.

via

At the Loft Eyewear Show, Knight admits eyewear buyers didn't know what to make of his business model or his product.  That hasn't stopped some of the biggest names in optical from partnering with him on his product. He's producing a limited collection of ready to wear designs this year for luxury eyewear A-listers Selima Optique, Black Optical, 10/10 Optics, and Rapp Optical. While these ready to wear pieces won't be custom made, he has used his most classic design patterns curated from his many clients since 2013 to create an everyday luxury product for the larger population of eyewear aficionados.

Keep checking Knight's Instagram  for more details!

Check out his entire collection of bespoke eyewear on Knight's online portfolio

If you suffer from chronic bloodshot or red eyes, you're used to hearing a lot of unsolicited comments and questions.  "You look tired."  "Are you sick?" "Do you have pink eye?"  You may have even been incorrectly judged at work or by friends and family as being drunk or smoking marijuana.  But for most people with chronic redness, it's a symptom of their personal ocular chemistry and daily environment.  Hours of computer use, inflammatory skin conditions like rosacea or eczema, dry environments like sitting under a vent or fan, working around dyes or chemicals, frequent flying, or driving for long hours with the vents in your car blasting air right at your eyes -- all of these common conditions can lead to recurrent red eyes! For many jobs these work environments are ubiquitous and unavoidable, so to combat the appearance of bloodshot eyes, sufferers turn to the pharmacy eye drop aisle.  Visine and ClearEyes are household names, but how they work to accomplish red eye relief has left plenty to be desired.  Luckily, a new option is no available over the counter that is poised to revolutionize red eye relief for the millions of Americans suffering from the stigma and stereotyping associated with having chronically red eyes!

With rapid changes in healthcare technology and telemedicine, there's perhaps never been a more important time for optometrists to get involved in local and federal legislative initiatives. Deciding you want to make a difference in changing the course and direction of the profession is a vital first step, but the truth is that getting involved with legislative action can be daunting.  How do you develop a relationship with your local or state representatives?  How do you get your opinions and passion for eyecare and patient advocacy heard?