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How often and how completely you blink affects the tear film. A scoping review published October 5, 2026, in Eye looked at devices and apps that record and analyze blinks to help evaluate dry eye and other ocular surface diseases.

What the reviewers did

They searched PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL from January 1, 2000, through August 17, 2025, for technologies that capture blink metrics in ocular surface disease. Engineering-only papers and tools that were not used to evaluate the ocular surface were left out. Of 3,275 records, 42 studies met the criteria. The authors compared 9 technologies: desk-bound devices (Intelligent Vision Sensor, LipiView, and IDRA), wearables (Wink Glass and Blink-sensing Glasses), and smartphone or computer applications (HealthyRoad, DryEyeRhythm, “Dry eye or not?” and EyeScore). LipiView and IDRA were the most commonly studied.

What they found

• Blink rate and partial blink rate were the metrics analyzed most often, and dry eye disease was the condition studied most often.
• In line with earlier research, studies linked a higher rate of partial blinks with a more compromised ocular surface.
• Methods varied widely, and the accuracy and diagnostic value of the measured blink parameters were not sufficiently validated for diagnosing ocular surface disease.

The reviewers concluded that these tools are promising but that more work is needed on validity, reliability, and real clinical usefulness. A blink app or camera is not a diagnosis. If your eyes feel dry, gritty, or tired, an eye exam can still look at the lids, glands, and tear film directly.

Source: A scoping review of integrated blink analysis technologies for ocular surface diseases (Eye (PubMed), 05/10/2026). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.

Androgens, including testosterone, play a role in the glands that help keep the eye surface stable. A study published November 6, 2026, in International Ophthalmology looked at the ocular surface in men with androgen deficiency and at what changed after testosterone replacement.

Who was studied

The study included 77 men; only the right eye of each participant was evaluated. Thirty-seven men had testicular hypofunction, defined as a total testosterone level below 231 ng/dL. Forty eugonadal controls had testosterone above 346 ng/dL. Examinations included symptom scores (AMS and OSDI), meibomian gland grading, corneal staining, tear breakup time (TBUT), Schirmer I and II tests, tear osmolarity, and anterior-segment OCT of the inferior tear meniscus. The androgen-deficiency group received intramuscular testosterone (Sustanon 250 mg) every two weeks, and measurements were repeated at weeks 6 and 18.

What they found

• At baseline, men with low testosterone had higher AMS and OSDI scores, worse meibomian gland grades, more corneal staining, and higher tear osmolarity, and they had lower Schirmer values, shorter TBUT, and a smaller tear meniscus.
• After replacement therapy, testosterone levels rose, and AMS and OSDI scores, tear osmolarity, meibomian grades, and corneal staining improved. Schirmer tests and tear-meniscus measurements increased. TBUT also increased, but that change was not statistically significant.
• Testosterone levels correlated negatively with AMS, OSDI, and tear osmolarity, and more weakly with meibomian grade and staining, and positively with TBUT, Schirmer II, and tear-meniscus measures.

The authors concluded that androgen deficiency can affect the ocular surface, and that replacement was associated with favorable changes in several signs and symptoms in men who already needed treatment for androgen deficiency. This is not evidence that testosterone should be used as a dry-eye drug in men with normal hormone levels, and hormone therapy has its own risks that belong in a conversation with the prescribing physician. If you have known low testosterone and new dry-eye symptoms, mention both to your doctors.

Source: The effects of androgen replacement therapy on tear osmolarity and ocular surface parameters in androgen deficiency (International Ophthalmology (PubMed), 06/11/2026). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.

Eye pressure, or intraocular pressure (IOP), can change while you are under anesthesia, even when the operation is not on the eye. A randomized trial published in September 2026 in Saudi Medical Journal compared spinal anesthesia with general anesthesia in adults having lumbar spine or lower-extremity orthopedic surgery.

What the researchers did

Sixty adults were randomly assigned to spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia. IOP, mean systemic arterial pressure, and heart rhythm were recorded at set times: baseline, before the spinal injection or induction, after the injection or induction, 5 minutes after the spinal procedure or intubation, 30 minutes into surgery, at the end of surgery, and 5 minutes after surgery or extubation.

What they found

• Baseline eye pressure was similar in both groups (about 14.3 mmHg with spinal anesthesia and 14.6 mmHg with general anesthesia).
• The largest drop in IOP in both groups was right after the spinal injection or induction of general anesthesia. The drop at that point was more marked in the general anesthesia group.
• After intubation, IOP was significantly higher with general anesthesia (19.82 mmHg) than with spinal anesthesia (12.86 mmHg).
• At 30 minutes and at the end of surgery, IOP stayed lower in the spinal group than in the general anesthesia group.
• Five minutes after surgery, IOP in both groups was slightly above baseline, but the difference from baseline was not statistically significant.
• In the prone (face-down) position, IOP at mid-surgery and at the end of surgery was significantly higher than at the start in both groups, and the increase was larger with general anesthesia.

The authors concluded that IOP may rise during both types of anesthesia, but the increase was greater with general anesthesia. This was not an eye-surgery trial, and it does not tell us which anesthetic is “safer” for every patient. If you have glaucoma or already-high eye pressure and are planning surgery, it is reasonable to mention that to your surgical and anesthesia team so they can take it into account.

Source: Comparison of the Effects of Spinal Versus General Anesthesia on the Perioperative Intraocular Pressure (Saudi Medical Journal (PubMed), September 2026). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.

A droopy upper eyelid, called ptosis, becomes more common with age. One option is a prescription eye drop, oxymetazoline hydrochloride 0.1%, approved by the FDA in January 2020 for this use. A study published in Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery looked at real-world side-effect reports.

What the researchers did

A team searched the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, a database where doctors, patients, and companies voluntarily report possible side effects, from the drop’s approval in January 2020 through April 2025. They found 306 patients with 658 reported events and used standard statistical methods to look for safety signals.

What they found

• All side effects already on the label showed up, most often eye-surface irritation, red eyes, temporary blurred vision, pain on application, and headache.
• New signals not on the label included a small number of reports of retinal or vitreous problems (such as retinal detachment, floaters, or bleeding inside the eye, about 3 reports each), dilated pupils, high blood pressure, and the drop becoming less effective over time.

How to read these results

A voluntary reporting database cannot prove a drug caused a problem or tell us how often it happens; it can only flag signals for further study. The authors said more research is needed to confirm these associations. Still, it is a useful reminder that even “cosmetic-feeling” drops are real medications.

Before trying eyelid-lifting drops

• Have the cause of the droop checked. Ptosis can sometimes signal nerve or muscle conditions that need different care.
• Tell your doctor about high blood pressure, heart disease, glaucoma, or medicines that affect blood pressure.
• Report new floaters, flashes, a curtain over your vision, or headaches right away.
• For a larger droop, an oculoplastic surgeon can discuss whether surgery is a better fit.

For more plain-language reading on eye health, see bettereyesightatanyage.com.

Source: Safety Analysis of Oxymetazoline Eye Drops for Blepharoptosis Using the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (PubMed), Nov–Dec 2026). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.

High myopia, or strong nearsightedness, is more than a need for thick glasses. High myopia is an independent risk factor for glaucoma, and it can also make glaucoma harder to diagnose. In 2026, the French Glaucoma Society and the French-speaking Retina Specialists’ Club published consensus guidelines on managing glaucoma in highly myopic eyes.

Why diagnosis is harder

According to the guidelines, high myopia adds complexity to glaucoma diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment. In some highly myopic eyes, extensive changes in the retina and the layers beneath it interfere with examining the back of the eye and with interpreting the tests used to detect glaucoma. That can make it hard to tell which changes come from myopia and which come from glaucoma.

What the guidelines recommend

• Treatment and follow-up are similar to standard open-angle glaucoma: the goal is a target eye pressure low enough to prevent new or worsening glaucoma damage.
• When eye pressure is high but the diagnosis is uncertain because of extensive myopic changes in the back of the eye, pressure-lowering treatment may be started anyway, to avoid adding glaucoma damage to the damage myopia may already cause.
• If surgery is considered, the higher rate of complications after glaucoma surgery in highly myopic eyes should be taken into account.

What this means if you are very nearsighted

• Have regular comprehensive eye exams that include an eye pressure check and an optic nerve evaluation, even if your glasses or contacts work well.
• Tell your eye doctor about any family history of glaucoma.
• Ask whether your baseline optic nerve scans and visual fields are on file, so future changes can be compared with your own starting point.
• If you are started on drops “to be safe,” use them as directed and keep your follow-up visits.
• Report sudden flashes, a shower of floaters, or a curtain over your vision right away.

For more plain-language reading on eye health, see foreverfreecontacts.com.

Source: Management of glaucoma in high myopia: Guidelines from the French Glaucoma Society (SFG) and the French-speaking Retina Specialists’ Club (CFSR) (Journal Français d’Ophtalmologie (PubMed), epub 08/26/2026). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.

Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medicines in the world, used to lower cholesterol and protect the heart. Medical Xpress reported on research suggesting statins may help protect people from developing glaucoma.

What the research suggests

Researchers found that people taking statins appeared less likely to develop glaucoma. Scientists have several theories: statins may improve blood flow to the optic nerve, reduce inflammation, and influence how fluid drains from the eye.

Important cautions

This kind of study shows an association, not proof. People who take statins may differ in other ways from those who do not. No one should start a statin solely to prevent glaucoma. Statins are prescribed for heart and blood vessel health, and decisions about them belong with your physician.

Glaucoma risk after 40

Many people start thinking about reading glasses and presbyopia in their 40s. It is also the decade when glaucoma risk begins to climb. A visit about near vision is a good chance to check eye pressure and the optic nerve as well.

• Family history of glaucoma raises risk.
• Diabetes, high blood pressure, and nearsightedness are linked to higher risk.
• People of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage have higher rates of certain types.

Presbyopia, lens options, and glaucoma

When patients consider lens-based solutions for reading vision, a complete eye exam, including glaucoma testing, helps determine which options are safe and appropriate.

Khanna Vision Institute

Khanna Vision Institute offers glaucoma screening and care along with presbyopia and cataract solutions. We serve Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Westlake Village, and Thousand Oaks.

More eye-health articles at Moorpark Lasik.

Source: Statins may protect people from developing glaucoma (Medical Xpress, 10/06/2026). This article is an educational summary written by Khanna Vision Institute and is not a substitute for medical advice.