A Staged Dry Eye Treatment Plan That Works: From OTC Relief to Advanced Therapies

By April Jasper, OD, FAAO Dry eye disease can feel overwhelming—for doctors, teams, and especially for patients. It’s often chronic, progressive, and multifactorial. Without a plan, care becomes random: one patient gets artificial tears, another gets antibiotics, and a third hears “just use a warm compress” with no follow-up.