“Simply start the conversation”

A desire to offer “verified and trusted support for menopausal women experiencing dry eye” was a driving factor for The Body Doctor to secure menopause-friendly accreditation for its products.

In September, the eye care supplier announced that it had secured the MTick menopause-friendly accreditation for nine of its dry eye product.

The supplier partnered with GenM, the organisation behind the MTick accreditation, which aims to help consumers identify products that can help to relieve or support symptoms of menopause.

Announcing the partnership ahead of Menopause Awareness Month this October, the eye care supplier highlighted a “significant lack of awareness” that dry eye is one of the 48 symptoms that can be experienced during perimenopause and menopause.

OT heard from Emma Meeres, marketing manager for The Body Doctor, about the decision to pursue accreditation, the level of understanding around dry eye and menopause, and recommendations for practices.

What led The Body Doctor to partner with GenM?

We began investigating the link between dry eye and perimenopause/menopause due to increasing awareness of how hormonal changes during these stages can significantly impact eye health.

Dry eye symptoms often worsen during this time, but discussions around this issue are limited in healthcare settings. Upon exploring this topic further with our team and experts in optics, we realised that menopause-related eye health concerns were being overlooked in our industry.

Once we opened up that conversation, we found GenM, an organisation dedicated to better addressing the needs of women going through menopause. Recognising a gap in understanding and treating menopause-related eye health issues, we sought MTick accreditation. This decision was driven by a desire to offer verified and trusted support for menopausal women experiencing dry eye.

The MTick accreditation process involves becoming a GenM partner, which requires meeting one or more specific criteria. These include being backed by authorised health claims, testing with menopausal women in clinical trials, using verified technology to support symptom relief, or receiving a four-star rating from menopausal women on platforms like Trustpilot for a specific symptom.

Could you tell us about The Body Doctor’s research into dry eye, perimenopause and menopause?

To better understand the needs and experiences of women going through perimenopause and menopause, we conducted research that involved consulting key opinion leaders in eye health and menopause. This enabled us to gauge the level of awareness among eye care professionals and their willingness to engage with patients on this issue.

While some clinicians were well-versed and proactive in addressing dry eye concerns during perimenopause and menopause, many were hesitant, or lacked the confidence to bring it up, highlighting a gap in patient care.

In addition to expert opinions, we carried out surveys and focus groups with local women to gain insight into their personal experiences with dry eye during menopause. These discussions revealed key frustrations, pain points and unmet needs.

What stood out from our research was the profound impact dry eye had on women’s daily lives, yet many felt their concerns were not being adequately addressed by healthcare providers. This reinforced the importance of furthering research and education in this area to better support women through these hormonal transitions.

What stood out from our research was the profound impact dry eye had on women’s daily lives, yet many felt their concerns were not being adequately addressed by healthcare providers

How aware are patients about the link between dry eye and menopause?

Most patients are not aware of the connection between menopause and dry eye disease, nor do they fully understand how dry eye symptoms can affect daily activities and their quality of life. Educating patients about this link is crucial, as awareness allows them to seek proper management and relief. Clinicians play a key role in counselling patients and helping them understand the relationship between menopause and eye health, which ultimately leads to better management of their symptoms.

What do you hope the MTick will mean for practices supporting patients who might experience menopause-related dry eye symptoms?

The MTick serves as a trusted, verified source for managing menopause-related symptoms like dry eye. For practices, having a reliable platform to refer patients to will simplify treatment options and support their decision-making process.

With so many potential therapies available, the MTick provides clinicians with an endorsed resource to guide patients towards effective management of their symptoms, making it easier for both the practice and the patient to navigate treatment options.

Would you have any recommendations for how practice teams could engage with patients on the subject of menopause and related symptoms?

A key recommendation is to simply start the conversation. GenM’s research revealed that 93% of women want society to talk more openly about menopause, but they don’t want to be the ones to initiate it.

Practice teams can begin by discussing the link between menopause and symptoms like dry eye, creating a supportive environment where women feel comfortable sharing their experiences. The Body Doctor is also working on educational content to further guide practices in these conversations.

What have you learned through this process?

Understanding the science behind how menopause exacerbates dry eye disease is critical to a clinician’s understanding of what they are seeing and why. Equally as important is being able to communicate that information well to their patients.

Having a platform like MTick is the missing link in that process of diagnosis and management. An endorsed and verified management platform counselling about how menopause can impact vision and comfort due to dry eye disease eases the burden on the practice and the patient alike.