Off the Cuff: Opportunity Lies Right Beneath Those Droopy Eyelids

As part of a profession that focuses so intensely on the eyes, I sometimes wonder how many of us actually look at our patients’ faces. We view ourselves in the mirror every day, and while familiarity would seem to breed acceptance, I recently became shockingly aware of just how many of our patients are unhappy with the way their eyes look. While we gladly accept our role in making our patients see better, as a profession, we have almost completely ignored the opportunity to make our patients’ eyes look better.

Many of you are probably aware of a new Rx eyedrop for acquired blepharoptosis called Upneeq. Launched by RVL Pharmaceuticals a few months back, the drug initially confused me and seemed to be a solution in search of a problem. That was until one of my patients asked me about it. This was a dry eye patient who was undergoing IPL. After finishing the procedure, while my tech was removing her gel and eye shields, she mentioned Upneeq and asked if I had heard of it. When I asked why she was interested in it, she mentioned that she had long been distressed by her sleepy-looking lids and became aware of the drop on social media.

I explained that I was quite familiar with Upneeq and actually had samples in the office. A minute later, with a drop in each eye, I asked why she never shared any of her lid concerns with me. Her answer was surprising. She said she didn’t think I could do anything to help her and didn’t relish the idea of surgery as an option. Mind you that this was the very first time that I had any idea that what I saw as a minor and insignificant amount of ptosis was such a big issue for her.

Her lids quickly lifted and I literally watched her face transform. As she began to leave the exam room, I had her look in the mirror and asked what she thought. She literally shrieked with delight and then started crying. She was so happy that it filled the room. That moment remains an important reminder of how easy it is to miss important things.

Over the following weeks, other patients started to ask about Upneeq. Initially confused by the increased interest, I finally figured out its source. The mild ptosis that we write off as normal or insignificant is important to many of our patients. And while most of us continue to ignore a bit of lid droop, interest in addressing it is skyrocketing among our patients. The March issue of Elle Magazine ran the article “Can This Eye Drop Make You Look Dramatically More Awake?” The cover story in the April issue of Vogue was “Can a New Eye Treatment Deliver a Lid Lift in a Bottle?” Uqneeq is all over social media, and the buzz is only increasing.

At a time when the landscape of eye care is changing, when we face increased competition from commercial forces that are trying to blur the lines between patient and consumer, having an easily prescribed Rx eyedrop that can transform a patient in front of their own eyes is a powerful tool, not just for meeting our patient’s needs, but for our profession’s survival. Don’t underestimate the power of looking awake.

 

Arthur B. Epstein, OD, FAAO Chief Medical Editor artepstein@optometricphysician.com

Want to share your perspective?
Write to Dr. Epstein at artepstein@optometricphysician.com. The views expressed in this editorial are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Jobson Medical Information LLC (JMI), or any other entities or individuals.