Product Playbook · Protocol
How to Build a Product Protocol
A finding is not a plan. This is how we turn what you saw at the slit lamp into a clear take-home regimen the patient can actually follow, layered by mechanism and built so most of it reorders on its own.
Key Takeaways
- Build by mechanism, not by habit. Identify the dominant problem first, then layer products onto it.
- Most patients need more than one product. A base drop, a lid or heat step, and often a nutrition layer.
- Keep the regimen short enough to actually follow. Three steps a patient does beats six they abandon.
- Decide stock or route for each item: shelf the fast movers, send the rest through RescueLink with auto-ship.
- Set a follow-up. A protocol with no recheck is a guess, and adjusting it is where the results come from.
Quick Answer
Start from the dominant mechanism, pick one base drop matched to it, add a lid or heat step when there is blepharitis or MGD, layer nutrition for the long game, then decide which items to stock and which to route through RescueLink. Keep it to the fewest steps that address the real drivers, hand it over in writing, and book the recheck. The steps below walk through it.
Six Steps to a Take-Home Regimen
- Name the dominant mechanism. Is this mostly inflammation, obstruction, low production, or poor protection? The lead problem decides the base of the protocol.
- Pick one base drop. Match it to the mechanism: a lipid or emulsion for evaporative and MGD, a hyaluronate PF drop for aqueous-deficient, an overnight ointment for exposure. Browse eye drops.
- Add the lid and heat step when indicated. Blepharitis or Demodex gets a cleanser; MGD gets a heat mask and expression. Browse lid hygiene and eye masks.
- Layer nutrition for the long game. Add an omega for surface support, and macular carotenoids where AMD risk applies. Browse omega and vitamins.
- Decide stock or route. Shelf the fast movers the patient walks out with; route the rest through RescueLink with auto-ship so refills happen on their own.
- Set the follow-up. Recheck in a few weeks, see what stuck, and adjust. The protocol is a draft until the recheck.
Starter Protocols by Pattern
A template, not a prescription. Adjust to the eye in front of you.
| Dominant pattern | Starter regimen | Where to shop |
|---|---|---|
| Evaporative, MGD | Lipid drop, daily heat mask, omega; lid hygiene if blepharitis | Masks, drops, omega |
| Aqueous-deficient | PF HA drop by day, ointment overnight, omega | PF drops, ointments |
| Anterior blepharitis, Demodex | HOCl daily, tea tree course, warm compress | HOCl, tea tree |
| Exposure, nighttime symptoms | Overnight ointment, moisture-chamber eyewear | Night protection |
A staged, mechanism-led approach that layers in additional steps as severity rises is the standard structure for dry eye management (TFOS DEWS III). Tailor every protocol to your own examination and confirm products on their current labels.
Send the Whole Protocol at Once
RescueLink lets you send the entire regimen to the patient by text or email, with one-tap ordering, same-day shipping, and optional auto-ship on the recurring items. The plan leaves the room intact, and the reorders stay in your practice.
DER Clinical Pearl
The protocol that works is the one the patient finishes. When in doubt, cut a step. Three things done daily beat a six-part regimen that falls apart by week two. You can always add at the recheck once you see what stuck.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I start when everything looks abnormal?
Name the dominant mechanism and build on that first. Treating the lead driver usually settles enough of the surface that the rest becomes clearer at the recheck.
How many products should a protocol have?
As few as address the real drivers. Most patients land on a base drop plus a lid or heat step, often with a nutrition layer. Keep it followable.
Should I stock the whole protocol?
No. Stock the fast movers patients walk out with, and route the rest through RescueLink so you carry no dead inventory.
How do I keep patients compliant with a multi-step plan?
Write it down, keep it short, and put the recurring items on auto-ship through RescueLink so refills are not a decision they have to make.
When should the follow-up be?
A few weeks out, long enough for heat, hygiene, and nutrition to show an effect. Use the recheck to trim or add steps.
Can I send the whole regimen at once?
Yes. RescueLink sends the full protocol to the patient in one message with one-tap ordering and same-day shipping. Ordering help is at providers@dryeyerescue.com or (561) 468-8747.
How do I handle the nutrition layer?
Frame it as a long-term adjunct and put it on auto-ship. Omega for the surface, macular carotenoids where AMD risk applies.
Where are the category deep-dives?
On the Dry Eye Product Playbook hub, linked below, which is the switchboard to every category guide and the ingredient reference.
Turn the Exam Into a Plan
Browse the catalog to build the regimen, or activate RescueLink to send the whole protocol to the patient at once.
Continue through the Dry Eye Product Playbook
Part of the Dry Eye Product Playbook. Clinical decisions rest with the treating eye doctor. OTC and supplement statements have not been evaluated to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Dry Eye Rescue is a distributor; confirm every product claim against the current manufacturer label before relying on it.