I explain the importance of a healthy tear film and inform patients that a breakdown in its components causes symptoms like blurred vision and irritation, ultimately leading to corneal damage.

Risk factors can vary for dry eye, a condition that affects the layers of tear film on the eye, says Nicole Bajic, MD.

The meibomian glands, located within the tarsal plate of the upper and lower eyelids, produce the meibum that comprises the lipid layer. 21 In a healthy tear film, the lipid layer resists tear ...