From 2005 to 2025...
What a world of change since we opened our virtual doors! The Dry Eye Shop began in a complete different era for both dry eye and scleral lenses.
Dry Eye in 2005
The only known treatments at that time were drops and plugs and - starting in 2003 - cyclosporine (Restasis). Theratears had been quite a recent breakthrough as a new product. The role of meibomian glands in dry eye disease had barely entered the community's consciousness at all.
Dry eye awareness had its first banner year in 2005, when the Sjogrens Foundation asked Congress to declare July "Dry Eye Awareness Month" The following year, a "Dry Eye Hot Spots" list was published with an index of the 100 worst cities for dry eye, based on a combination of factors.
Online information on dry eye was extremely limited back then. I remember when there were just two websites with any in depth information - both long gone now, but they were agingeye.net and dryeyepain.com. We launched Dry Eye Zone, a moderated forum and site, in 2005. This became home to an enormous range of dry eye discussions online, and became part of the Dry Eye Foundation when DEF incorporated in 2018. Many people later moved on to one of the dry eye Facebook groups. A more recent community is the Dry Eye Foundation's new community forum.
Scleral lenses in 2005
Back in those days, very few optometrists were fitting scleral lenses. Most of those who were, were fitting them primarily for vision correction (e.g. keratoconus) but not for ocular surface diseases or corneal pain. If you had severe dry eye back then and asked a corneal specialist about scleral lenses, you were almost certain to be told that they were not relevant for you and could not help you. It was some years before the scleral lens industry began to pick up speed and even more years before ocular surface disorders became a more accepted possible indication for sclerals.
Not many types were available back then, and people with irregular corneas from refractive surgery, or severe dry eye, often had to travel to BostonSight or another provider to get access to suitable scleral lenses.
Milestones
2005
Dry Eye Shop and Dry Eye Zone launched!
In February that year, my friend and launch partner Cindy attended SECO, an industry event, in Atlanta GA and ran a booth to preview the Dry Eye Shop and its eye drops to optometrists.
The shop began with just a handful of products
- Dr Holly's Drops (Dwelle, Dakrina and NutraTear). These beloved eye drops had to be discontinued a handful of years later, but they were amazing and I still miss them. The only one that remains now, slightly altered over time, is Freshkote.
- Tranquileyes moisture goggles from Eye Eye, which were brand new back then.
- Panoptx (now 7Eye) glasses with foam shields
2006
- We began selling scleral lens plungers and cases for large diameter lenses (the latter at the request of Boston Sight). This was before Boston sclerals were called PROSE, and the cases were smaller than they are today.
- A dry eye patient conference! We hosted a tiny patient event in Tampa, Florida for people with dry eye, complete with doctor and patient speakers, and a tiny exhibit hall. I have always longed to do something like that again and am excited about DEF's upcoming symposium (July 2025, Washington DC).
- Moved (business and family) to Poulsbo, WA.
2008
- Quartz & Onyix Silicone Shields launched by Eye Eco - a breakthrough product for protecting dry eyes at night. These are still going strong today as a comfortable, flexible lightweight shield that is suitable for dry eye in general but also for CPAP users who need protection from device vents.
2015
- Unisol 4 discontinued! This kicked off a brand new era at the Dry Eye Shop.
... Ran out of time in the middle of this but I will continue adding things to the timeline as I get time and inspiration.
Do you have a memory from an earlier era of the Dry Eye Shop? Please post in the comments!