Questions to ask your eye doctor about dry eyes

An appointment goes further when you arrive with notes and leave with answers. These are good questions to put to an eye doctor about eyes that feel dry or irritated, before you settle on any drop.

Questions about the cause

• What do you think is behind my symptoms?
• Could my screen time, contact lenses, or the air at home or work be part of it?
• Is there anything you would want to rule out?

Questions about what to use

• Is an over-the-counter lubricating drop reasonable for me?
• Are there ingredients I should avoid, given my allergies?
• How does a drop fit around anything else you have prescribed?

Questions about what comes next

• What should make me call you before my next visit?
• When should I come back?

What to bring

The products you use, or photos of their labels, and a short note of when symptoms started and what makes them better or worse. A simple eye drop log covers most of that.

Don’t wait for an appointment if

You have sudden vision loss, eye pain or an eye injury; those need emergency care. Quell’s label adds its own guidance: Stop use and ask a doctor if you feel eye pain or changes in your vision, if irritation or redness continues, or if the condition worsens or persists for 72 hours.