Empire Eye and Laser Center

Toothpaste or olive oil? What should "meibum" look like?

Your dry eye symptoms might come down to the texture of your tears. When we perform a Meibomian Gland Expression (MGE) in our office, we look closely at the oil secreting from your eyelids. Healthy oil should look and flow just like clear olive oil.

But when those glands get blocked, that crucial oil thickens up. It can turn into the consistency of butter or toothpaste. And without this oil, your tears evaporate too quickly, leaving your eyes feeling gritty, irritated, and dry.

If your eyes constantly feel dry or tired, it might be time to check on your gland health.

Social media needs YOU!

We love it when our surgery center team makes time to film with us, even if they'd rather be doing anything else! And they kill it every time! 💙

Real relief is possible! 👀✨

Are you constantly reaching for over-the-counter eye drops, only to feel that gritty, burning sensation return just a few hours later? 💧

You are definitely not alone. The truth is, those over-the-counter drops usually just mask the problem rather than actually solving it. So how do you treat dry eyes when artificial tears aren't working?

For Dry Eye Awareness Month, here are three ways we help our patients find real, lasting relief right here in Bakersfield:

🏡 1. Adjust Your Environment
Living in Kern County means dealing with low humidity, dry air, and plenty of seasonal allergies. Many people do not realize that keeping a ceiling fan running all night can severely dry out their eyes. Try turning off the fan and running a cool or warm mist humidifier in your room to add moisture back into the air.

🧪 2. Targeted Prescription Medications
These are not your basic over-the-counter eye drops. We can prescribe targeted medications that prompt your body to naturally produce more of its own tears and help quiet down inflammation.

⚡ 3. Advanced In-Office Treatments
For those seeking a long-term solution, we offer advanced, light-based therapies like Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). This light energy gently stimulates the meibomian glands (the crucial oil glands in your eyelids), reduces redness, and calms local inflammation.

While artificial tears are fine for occasional use, they cannot fix the root cause of chronic dry eyes. If you are ready to stop masking the irritation and start healing, give us a call at 661-325-EYES to schedule an evaluation with our award-winning team. Let us help you find real relief.

Summer without glasses? Yes please! 👀☀️

Hey bestie, are glasses or contacts getting in the way of your summer fun? We’ve got a laser for that!
Empire Eye and Laser is the only place in Bakersfield where you can get flapless SMILE pro laser vision correction, which means you don't have to drive to LA to get next-gen LASIK! Save that gas for a summer road trip instead. 🚗💨

Plus, if you book your procedure this month, you’ll get a complimentary Noon Aesthetics Skincare Kit after your procedure to help your skin bounce back from that harsh summer sun. 🧴✨

Ready to find out if you can ditch your glasses and contacts this summer? Let’s chat!
Come see me for a free consultation. No pressure! We'll just do some testing, talk options, and check out financing so you have all the info you need.

Comment SMILE and we'll send you a link to learn more. Or call/text me at 661-88-LASIK to schedule your complimentary consultation. Hope to see you soon!

The Fine Print:
Limit one free Noon kit per patient upon completion of procedure. Must pay surgery deposit between July 1, 2026 and August 14, 2026 to qualify. Cannot be combined with other offers, discounts, or credits. Individual results and experiences may vary. Offer subject to change without notice. Call 661-88-LASIK for full offer details.

Important Safety Information:
SMILE pro is an FDA-cleared laser vision correction procedure for the treatment of myopia with or without astigmatism. Individual results may vary. Just like any surgical procedure, SMILE pro carries potentially serious risks. Please discuss the benefits, recovery, risks, and complications with your eye care professional.

We never get tired of hearing how much laser vision correction changes our patients' lives.

Here's how a recent SMILE patient put it: "I guess I just can't highlight enough how life changing it is, like, coming from a perspective of someone who really had difficulty seeing without any type of correction, to not have that burden anymore is pretty life changing."

Thank you for trusting us with your vision! We are thrilled to have been able to lift your burden of glasses and contacts!

There's nothing wrong with their eyesight doc! 😳

😳 Remember to open those eyes wide during testing!
We put up a few reminders just in case... 🫢