Dry Eye Minute, Issue 2: Not a band-aid.

ISSUE 02 · NOVEMBER 4, 2026 · 1-MINUTE READ

01 SPOT IT: Not a band-aid.

Right after “I see some things that concern me,” I don’t reach for a drop. I say: “I want to bring you back for a dry eye evaluation. I don’t want this to be a band-aid fix. I want to find the underlying causes and treat them.”

The evaluation is its own visit, with its own fee, and it’s booked before they leave.

02 FIX IT: Don’t judge the wallet.

It’s not your job to decide what a patient can afford. It’s your job to tell them what will work. For each bigger contributing issue, have your good, better and best ready, and offer all three to every patient. Then decide together, based on their goals. For smaller issues that don’t need in-office treatment, just tell them what’s needed.

Then ask: “Is there anything that stands in the way of getting the treatment you want?” And listen. In our area, we started a non-profit to help patients get the care they need.

03 FEEL IT

“Well done is better than well said.”
— Benjamin Franklin

The best plan in the world only helps the patient who starts it.

04 ASK IT

If you recorded your treatment conversation tomorrow, would you want to hear it played back?

Sit with it this week. — CB

Get the Dry Eye Minute every Wednesday. One minute: something to spot, fix, feel and ask, for doctors building a dry eye practice. Want all of it now? Start DEI On Demand (17 hours of COPE-accredited CE).