Episode 145|Beyond Artificial Tears: What Your Dry Eyes Are Actually Telling You| Pamela Theriot O.D.

Dry eyes get dismissed as a minor inconvenience—reach for artificial tears and move on. But for many people, persistent dry eye is the first sign of a systemic autoimmune disorder like Sjogren's disease or rheumatoid arthritis. In this episode, Dr. Pam Theriot, an eye care specialist and author of Alleviate Dry Eye, unpacks why dry eye disease is multifactorial and how a proper evaluation can uncover what's really happening behind your symptoms. You'll learn why dry eye treatment has transformed since 2018, when physicians had only one medication option. Today's approach is personalized—matching treatment to the actual cause, whether that's inflammation, insufficient tear production, meibum deficiency, or environmental factors. Dr. Theriot walks through the eight-week framework of her book and her upcoming course, The Eyes Method, which helps you identify your unique dry eye triggers across medications, nutrition, sleep, cosmetics, contact lenses, and environment. By the end of this episode, you'll understand how to advocate for yourself in the eye doctor's office, ask better questions, and take daily steps to protect your vision—and potentially catch a serious systemic condition early.

About Pam Theriot, O.D.

Dr. Pam Theriot is a Dry Eye Specialist in Louisiana. Her undergrad degree was received from Rice University, and her doctorate was earned at UC Berkeley, School of Optometry. She completed a residency at SUNY, and a fellowship from the American Academy of Optometry. In 2018, Dr. Theriot published a book, “Alleviate Dry Eye”, as a guide for patients. In 2021, she was appointed to the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS). In 2024, she became a monthly columnist for Optometric Management. In 2025, she won a TEDx Editor’s Pick Award for her talk titled: Seeing Clearly in a Screen-Filled World: 3 Tips to Preserve Your Vision. And, in 2026, she developed a research branch of the clinic at Williamson Azar Vision.

Key takeaways:

• Dry eye is multifactorial: inflammation, insufficient tear volume, meibum (oil) deficiency, and digital/environmental strain each require different treatments—one-size-fits-all artificial tears don't work for everyone

• Dry eye can be the first clinical sign of systemic autoimmune disorders like Sjogren's disease and rheumatoid arthritis; proper evaluation is essential for ruling out systemic conditions

• Before 2018, patients had only one prescription dry eye medication; today there are immunomodulators, LipiFlow, gels, ointments, and newer therapies like Mibodrye and Xdemvy that target specific causes

• The eight-week 'Alleviate Dry Eye' framework addresses why you have dry eye, plus medications, nutrition, sleep, cosmetics, contact lenses, and environmental factors that impact ocular health

• The Eyes Method (launching 2027) uses a four-part framework: E (Eyes—daily care), Y (Your Body—medications/medical history), E (Environment—digital/seasonal), S (See the Doctor—procedures and advanced treatments)

• Small daily habits—intentional blinking while on screens, using preservative-free tears, and adjusting your environment—make a significant difference in eye comfort and long-term ocular health

Resources mentioned:

• Alleviate Dry Eye book

• The Eyes Method online course (launching 2027)

• Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS)

• LipiFlow in-office procedure

• Mibodrye treatment

• Xdemvy medication

• Doxycycline

• Preservative-free artificial tears

Links mentioned:

Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society — https://www.tfos.org

https://www.pamtheriot.com/tedx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamtheriotpage

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pam.theriot/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamtheriot/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@alleviatedryeyewithdr.T

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@pamtheriot6

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