How to get more dry eye treatment patients

Dry eye treatment is a service some patients pay for themselves and others ask their insurer about, and how it is described shapes who books and what they expect. Many callers mention eyes that feel dry, scratchy or gritty, stinging, burning or itching, red eyes, sensitivity to light, blurry vision that comes and goes, eyes that bother them more in wind or dry air, or store products that have not helped, and most calls are from adults. This guide is for owners, coordinators and front desk teams in optometry practices and ophthalmology practices that evaluate dry eye: what MedlinePlus and NEI say about dry eye, its diagnosis and its treatment, which claims to avoid, and how to turn requests into well-informed evaluations. Here, the eye doctor, whether an optometrist or an ophthalmologist, evaluates the patient and decides on the treatment plan, and talks it through with the patient.

SearchAn adult looks for care near them.
Your pageWhat you treat, who sees them, one way to book.
Call or formThey call or send a request.
Front deskBooks the visit and never guesses a cause.
Clinical teamThe clinician decides the plan.

How a new patient request reaches your practice.

1. Know what dry eye treatment is and is not

The NEI dry eye page says “Dry eye happens when your eyes don’t make enough tears to stay wet, or when your tears don’t work correctly.” and lists “A scratchy feeling, like there’s something in your eye”, “Stinging or burning feelings in your eye”, “Red eyes”, “Sensitivity to light” and “Blurry vision” among the symptoms. The MedlinePlus tears topic page says “Tears also keep your eyes moist, which is important for your vision.”

Care starts with an evaluation, not a set package of visits. The NEI dry eye page says “Your doctor can check for dry eye as part of a comprehensive dilated eye exam.” and “Be sure to tell your doctor if you think you might have dry eye.” The NEI testing for dry eye page says “Your eye doctor can do tests to see if your eyes are making enough tears.” and “If the tests show you have dry eye, your doctor can recommend treatment.” The MedlinePlus tears topic page says “Treatment of the problem depends on the cause.”

Only a licensed eye doctor evaluates the eyes, and the eye doctor decides which tests are needed. The NEI dry eye page says “To find out if you have dry eye, your doctor might check:” and lists “The amount of tears your eyes make” and “The structure of your eyelids” among them. The front desk does not say whether a caller has dry eye, another eye problem or another health problem or which treatment they need.

Some callers are sure their eyes are just dry, or mention other symptoms with it. Eye symptoms can come from something else. The NEI dry eye page lists “certain autoimmune conditions” among the things that make dry eye more likely, and says “If another health condition is causing your dry eye, treating that condition may improve your dry eye symptoms.” Sorting that out is the eye doctor’s job after the exam. Callers describing new or worrying symptoms are passed to a clinician; the front desk does not judge urgency. Staff do not say whether eye symptoms come from dry eye or another condition, and do not tell callers which products or home steps to try or avoid; they note what the caller says on the intake form and pass it to the clinical team promptly.

Some callers ask for one specific treatment only, or bring an earlier eye exam report or a plan from another clinic. Book the evaluation the same way, give the price, do not promise which treatment the eye doctor will use or how the plan will look, and do not promise a plan based on an earlier eye exam report.

Do not present dry eye treatment or a named medicine or technique as the only answer or as a sure fix. The eye doctor explains the options and decides on the plan with the patient.

Some visits involve a referral, often from a family doctor or another eye doctor. Some patients come with a referral from their doctor and some without; staff check what the patient’s plan requires and do not promise anything either way. Make the hand off from referring clinicians easy, and never offer or accept payment for referrals. See also patient referrals for medical practices, how to get more LASIK patients and how to get more eyelid surgery patients.

2. Keep claims in line with the risk information

MedlinePlus and NEI give a balanced picture of dry eye treatment. Their dry eye pages point out the limits.

the NEI dry eye page says “Treatment for dry eye usually depends on what’s causing your symptoms.”;
the NEI dry eye page says “This can make your eyes feel uncomfortable, and in some cases it can also cause vision problems.”

On results, the NEI dry eye page says “There are a few different types of treatment that can ease your symptoms and help keep your eyes healthy.” What helps differs from patient to patient. Do not promise that dry eyes will go away or stay away, comfortable eyes, clearer vision, a number of visits, a time frame or any other outcome in ads or on the phone.

Treatment choice belongs in the exam room. The NEI dry eye page says “Talk over your options with your doctor.” and it describes over-the-counter eye drops, prescription eye drops, changes to habits and surroundings, tear duct plugs and, less often, eyelid surgery among the options. Do not push a named medicine, technique or add-ons; the eye doctor explains the options after the evaluation and decides on the plan with the patient.

Write about patients with respect. Do not use fear copy about eyes getting worse, damage to the eye, losing sight or what other people think, do not blame or shame people about their eyes, screen time, contact lenses, their work, smoking, hormones or age, and avoid shock images and deadline pressure. The NEI dry eye page says “Dry eye is common”. Do not use a named medicine, product or technique as an ad hook, and never advertise or promise any medicine, product or prescription as a fix. Keep ad copy aimed at adults, and never target minors in ads or social campaigns. The NEI dry eye page lists wearing contact lenses among the things that make dry eye more likely; never aim ads at contact lens wearers. Do not build ad audiences from dry eye or other eye conditions, contact lens use, autoimmune conditions, past treatments, eye exam results, prescriptions, diagnoses, medicines or other health information.

Be careful with children and teenagers. Some callers will be parents; the NEI dry eye page says “Anyone can get dry eye”. If a parent calls about a child or a teenager with dry, red or irritated eyes, do not tell the parent that the child needs dry eye treatment or that any treatment will fix it. For a minor, a parent or guardian books and consents, and the eye doctor decides whether and when treatment makes sense. If you text or email about an appointment for a minor, use the parent’s or guardian’s contact details and consent; see texting patients and the TCPA.

Avoid “cure”, “no more dry eyes”, “permanent relief”, “instant relief”, “guaranteed results”, “eye drops”, “artificial tears”, “Restasis”, “cyclosporine”, “Xiidra”, “lifitegrast”, “Miebo”, “steroid drops”, “punctal plugs”, “IPL”, “LipiFlow”, “thermal pulsation”, “meibomian gland expression”, “omega-3”, “fish oil”, “supplements”, “scleral lenses”, “amniotic membrane”, “serum drops”, “at-home devices”, “injections”, “surgery”, “risk-free”, “insurance will cover it”, “no referral needed” and “FDA-approved”. Better: “the eye doctor will ask about your eyes and what you have tried, examine your eyes, explain the options and decide on a treatment plan with you”.

3. Answer first-call questions honestly

How much does it cost? Give a clear starting price, say what it includes (the evaluation, follow-up visits, any in-office treatment, whether medicines and products are extra) and that what the eye doctor finds, the treatment plan the eye doctor recommends and how many visits it includes affect the total. Say whether the evaluation, follow-up visits and any in-office treatment are priced separately.
Does insurance pay? Do not promise coverage. Coverage varies by plan, so the practice checks each patient’s plan.
Do I need dry eye treatment? “We cannot tell that on the phone. The eye doctor will ask about your eyes, what you notice and when, how long you have had it, whether you wear contact lenses, what you have already tried, your health and medicines, examine your eyes and talk with you about the options and whether treatment makes sense.”
Can I be treated if I am pregnant or take other medicines? Do not answer either way. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, plans to become pregnant and current medicines are questions for the eye doctor; staff note them on the intake form and the eye doctor talks them through at the evaluation.
Who does the work? Give the eye doctor’s name and real credentials. Let callers check them with the state licensing board.

When a caller asks about insurance, staff take the plan details and say the practice will check; they never say the treatment will be covered.

Leave screening to the eye doctor. Your intake form can ask the patient’s age, the reason for the visit, what the eyes feel like, whether one eye or both are affected, whether vision is blurry, how long the patient has had the symptoms, any other symptoms, whether the patient wears contact lenses, what has been tried, past dry eye treatment and prescriptions, any earlier eye exam reports, any referral from the patient’s doctor, the referring clinician, current medicines, health conditions and whether the patient is pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy; for a minor, the parent or guardian fills it in. The NEI dry eye page lists “Wear contact lenses” among the things that make dry eye more likely; staff note contact lens use on the intake form and never tell a caller to stop wearing or to change contact lenses. The NEI dry eye page says “if a medicine you take for another health condition is causing dry eye, your doctor may also suggest that you try a different medicine.”; that is a decision for the patient’s clinicians, never for the front desk. Never tell a caller to stop a medicine by a certain date, and never suggest a medicine, an eye product, a device or a home remedy. Eye care advice is for the eye doctor to give. The front desk does not judge how urgent a call is. Pass any report of stinging, burning, redness or any other new or unusual problem while using an eye product or medicine, a possible pregnancy while using an eye product or medicine, any change in vision, symptoms that get worse, or dry eye that gets in the way of everyday activities to the clinical team promptly. The NEI dry eye page says “Tell your doctor if dry eye is getting in the way of everyday activities”. Callers describing new or worrying symptoms are passed to a clinician; the front desk does not judge urgency. The eye doctor decides whether someone is a candidate and which treatment is suitable. Front desk staff only collect the answers. Use the new patient phone script for the rest of the call, and book the evaluation, not the treatment, while the caller is on the line.

4. Plan the evaluation, treatment visits and follow-up

The NEI testing for dry eye page says “In a slit lamp test, your eye doctor will use a microscope called a slit lamp to see if your eyes are making enough tears.” and “A TBUT test checks how long your tear film (layer of tears on your eyes) lasts after you blink.” It also says “A Schirmer’s test also tells your eye doctor if your eyes are making enough tears.” Tell callers that the choice of care comes after the exam.

Make second opinions easy, and give patients time to talk through the plan, eye care at home and any medicines with the eye doctor first.

For the evaluation and treatment visits, ask your eye doctors for written notes on preparing for the visit, what to bring, such as a list of the products and medicines already tried, current medicines and any earlier eye exam reports, whether to wear contact lenses to the visit, any referral the patient’s plan asks for, eye care at home as the eye doctor sets it, warning signs and follow-up visits. The NEI dry eye page says the eye doctor may check for dry eye “as part of a comprehensive dilated eye exam.” Share them with callers and parents early. Aftercare depends on the treatment; the eye doctor gives exact instructions and sets the follow-up schedule.

5. Price, finance and follow up

Self-pay patients may be entitled to a good faith estimate; see the good faith estimate guide.
If you advertise a discount, follow advertising prices and specials. Avoid deadline pressure on a treatment decision.
If you offer financing, follow the patient financing guide.
Before-and-after photos need written authorization and honest comparisons; see before-and-after photos. FTC guides treat a patient’s result as typical unless you disclose what patients can generally expect.
Follow up after the evaluation without pressure; see consultation to treatment. Track dry eye treatment requests and referrals separately, from request to evaluation to treatment, and keep the notes the eye doctor needs for follow-up visits.

Where MediLeadGen fits

MediLeadGen sends practices requests from people interested in cash-pay elective treatments. Each request goes to one practice only, with the person’s consent naming that practice, at a fixed price per delivered request.

See how it works for practices

Questions practices ask

How do we get more dry eye treatment patients?

Answer requests quickly, give clear prices and what they include, introduce the eye doctor by real credentials, keep claims in line with the risk information, make referrals and second opinions easy, and book an evaluation where the eye doctor can ask about the symptoms, whether one eye or both are affected, how long they have been there, contact lens use and what has been tried, examine the eyes and explain the options before deciding on a treatment plan.

Can we promise callers that their dry eyes will go away and stay away?

No. NEI says treatment for dry eye usually depends on what is causing the symptoms and that in some cases dry eye can also cause vision problems, and NEI says that if another health condition is causing dry eye, treating that condition may improve the symptoms. Staff collect intake answers only, and the eye doctor decides on the treatment plan with the patient after the evaluation.

What should the front desk do when a caller reports a painful red eye, an eye injury, a chemical in the eye or a sudden change in sight?

Collect the intake answers and pass any report of stinging, burning, redness or any other new or unusual problem while using an eye product or medicine, a possible pregnancy while using an eye product or medicine, any change in vision, symptoms that get worse, or dry eye that gets in the way of everyday activities to the clinical team promptly. Callers describing new or worrying symptoms, such as an eye injury, a chemical in the eye, a painful red eye or a sudden change in sight, are passed to a clinician right away; the front desk does not judge urgency. The front desk does not say whether eye symptoms come from dry eye or something else or whether a symptom is serious, or suggest a treatment, product or medicine; the clinician decides.

Does insurance cover dry eye treatment?

Coverage varies by plan. Check each patient’s plan, and do not promise coverage in ads or on the phone.

General information for practice teams, not legal or clinical advice. Check device labeling, FDA requirements, state rules and your advertising with counsel and your clinicians. Last reviewed October 2026.

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How to get more dry eye treatment patients: a plan for practices