Prevent Blindness declares July as Dry Eye Month

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Dry eye is top of mind for optometrists year-round, but Prevent Blindness has declared July as Dry Eye Month in hopes to raise awareness among the public and the eye care industry. To support this, Prevent Blindness has created a variety of free dry eye resources: a dedicated webpage about the etiology and treatment of dry eye, fact sheets and social media graphics in both English and Spanish for distribution, and how-to videos about how to apply eye drops and other tips and tricks for dry eye relief. For the fifth year in a row, OCuSOFT is partnering with Prevent Blindness in support of Dry Eye Month.1

“A number of treatment options are available for dry eye that can help address symptoms and save sight,” Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness, said in a press release. “We invite everyone to check out our free dry eye resources and make an appointment with an eye doctor to find out what type of treatment is best for them.”

The National Eye Institute reports nearly 16.4 million Americans live with dry eye.2 Here are some risk factors for dry eye that eye care providers see regularly in their chairs:

  • Being over 50 years old
  • Hormonal changes or medications that impact hormone levels
  • History of refractive eye surgery (such as LASIK)
  • Eyelid inflammation (blepharitis)
  • Environmental factors, including allergies, smoke exposure, or dry climates
  • Wearing contact lenses
  • Poor makeup hygiene practices
  • Medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, rosacea, Sjögren’s syndrome, and other autoimmune diseases
  • Reduced blink rate, often due to prolonged screen use or certain neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease
  • Eyelid disorders that prevent complete eyelid closure
  • Excessive use of digital devices, including computers, tablets, and smartphones
  • Certain medicines that may decrease tear production, including antihistamines, decongestants, hormone replacement therapy, antidepressants, high blood pressure medications, birth control, acne prescriptions, and Parkinson disease therapies

To learn more about Prevent Blindness’s dry eye resources, visit their website. You can download printouts in both English and Spanish, and view patient educational videos. Additionally, there are interviews about dry eye with April Jasper, OD, FAAO, and Stephanie Jones Marioneaux, MD.

References
  1. Prevent Blindness Provides a Variety of Free Dry Eye Educational Resources including a dedicated Webpage, Fact Sheets and Graphics in English and Spanish, Expert Interviews and Informative Videos. Prevent Blindness. Press release. Published June 25, 2025. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://preventblindness.org/dry-eye-month-2025/
  2. Dry eye. National Eye Institute. Last updated February 18, 2025. Accessed June 30, 2025. https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/dry-eye

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