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dry eye patients are struggling.

Your donation will help us:

  • Fund our Dry Eye Helpline to aide individuals navigating ocular surface diseases and ocular surface pain

  • Maintain online support groups on Facebook, Zoom, and our DryEyeTalk forum

  • Raise awareness about DEF among eye doctors

  • Support scleral lens patients through My Big Fat Scleral Lens

  • Continue to alert the public about important eye drop safety issues

  • Support advocacy efforts like Dry Eye Advocacy Day in July 2026

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End of Year video from Rebecca, DEF President and Co-Founder

  • Read our 2024 Annual Report

    • Dry Eye in DC: We organized the first-ever national dry eye patient conference in Washington DC this July. We partnered with the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research to present at the Dry Eye Disease Congressional Briefing and bring over 30 advocates to Washington DC to raise awareness about dry eye and advocate for patients. We hosted 9 patient and doctor speakers for our Dry Eye Symposium, which was sponsored by 11 companies and viewed online over 1000 times. 

    • New Handbooks: We published two new 60-page handbooks this year, the My Big Fat Scleral Lens Patient Handbook and the Dry Eye Zone Patient Guidebook.

    • Eye Drop Safety Advocacy: In March, we met with the FDA's PASE group to share an update about unsafe eye drops sold online. We continue to warn about unsafe eye drops at eyedropsafety.org

    • Scleral lens product safety: We presented a poster on unsafe scleral lens solutions sold online at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in January. We've been tracking unsafe products and adding the to our MBFSL Product Safety Alerts page.

    • Community programs: We've held 75 Zoom Group meetings, and calls with nearly 100 individuals on the Dry Eye Helpline so far this year!

    • MyDryEyeRx webinar and resource: We completed a new Dry Eye Zone Resource Page to help patients when the begin new dry eye drugs. We hosted a Webinar with Doctors Kaleb Abbott OD, Joseph Allen OD, and Laura Periman MD earlier this month. 

    • Medical conference attendance: We exhibited at the Global Specialty Lens Symposium, the American Academy of Optometry, American Academy of Ophthalmology. 

    • Nonprofit partnerships: We shared DEF's resources during two nonprofit patient conferences, the Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation (BEBRF) and Thyroid Eye Disease Community Foundation. 

    • Websites and YouTube: We've received 55,000+ website visitors and 65,000+ YouTube viewers year to date.

    • COMMUNITY PROGRAMS: Launch Poulsbo, WA quarterly support groups and an Anaheim, CA support group in October.

    • DRY EYE ADVOCACY DAY Year 2 in Washington, DC. New and returning advocates invited!

    • EDUCATION: Host Dry Eye Happy Hour webinars and continue to distribute Dry Eye and Scleral Lens Handbooks.

    • EYE DROP SAFETY: Seek grant funding for database, continue FDA advocacy. 

    • MBFSL: Continue conducting research and raising awareness, including a sponsored talk at GSLS 2026.

    • CONFERENCES: Present scientific posters and exhibit at national meetings

    • PARTNERSHIPS: Continue collaboration with partner non-profits, engage with research and education partners.

  • “Your foundation and shop are such great resources for those of us with extreme dry issues. Thanks for all the dedication, energy and care!  I have shared with  doctors who are so pleased to know of such a resource for their patients.” -Lee

    “Eye drop safety is a top concern for anyone suffering from dry eye.  We need OTC drops and we need them to be safe. Thank you, DEF,  for keeping this issue front and center.” -Susan

    “I suffer from DED and care about others affected by this life-altering condition/ disease, especially upcoming generations. I support what the Dye Eye Foundation and others will be doing to advocate for us at the D.C. Symposium.” -Ann

    “DEF provides great information, support, and products to me and others in our Sjogren's support group.” -Diana

    “Your knowledge and information saved the “quality” of my life!” -Sandra

    “I so appreciate what Rebecca and Aidan and the whole team do.  Rebecca has always been there for all of us.  Rebecca  ROCKS!! ❤️” -Beth

    “You educate professionals, researchers, patients about dry eye issues.  You offer opportunities (meetings, zooms, etc)& products that support & educate...... all dedicated to an under-recognized major health issue that gets very little attention.” -Anonymous

    “I cannot think of any other organization that is doing so much for dry eye problems.  I don't think there is anyone else like DEF out there.” -Susan

    “You all have been a great help to me over the past few years!” -Jan

    “I've suffered from dry eyes for over 20 years and this is the only organization I've found that I can trust.  They aren't trying to sell something.” -Nancy

    “The DEF is a one of a kind foundation. Those who work and strive for recognition deserve to "be seen".” -Joan

    “I want to support the Dry Eye Foundation.  I am grateful for the help I have received so far. I believe the counselors and members will be an important support for me.” -Caroline

    “This foundation provides a wealth of information and support for dry eye sufferers and scleral lens wearers such as myself.  I am grateful for all you and your team do. “ -Donna

    “The Dry Eye Foundation has helped so many, including me! I thought I was the only one with this issue. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! ❤️” -Mary

    “The Dry Eye Foundation has been instrumental in my recovery. I want to support this fabulous foundation!” -Christine

  • The Dry Eye Foundation is a small 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Poulsbo, Washington. We incorporated as a non-profit in 2018.

    Our history dates back to 2005 with the formation of Dry Eye Zone by Founder Rebecca Petris, who began engaging in education and advocacy for people suffering from dry eye disease after an unfortunate outcome from LASIK eye surgery in 2001.

    We strive to listen to and collect the needs of our community and develop programs and platforms that make a difference. We have a national and international reach through robust virtual community support programs and educational content.

“It all started with conversations and lots of listening, then seeing some patterns, then watching those patterns repeat themselves and watching a lot of people get hurt in unexpected and devastating ways, and then deciding we need to change this pattern.

We're here to provide support no matter where you are or why. We know it gets better and we are here to provide understanding and encouragement. 

If you've ever been in a hard place because of dry eye or an ocular surface disease of any kind I want to encourage you to consider donating to support our work.”

Rebecca Petris, President

from us

“In 2019, Our first project as a nonprofit was to survey the community's experience to establish a direction for the Foundation. Later in 2020, we started hosting webinars and support groups on Zoom, which helped break the isolation of the pandemic and the disease burden of dry eye.

Through the years, I've found a passion for supporting individuals who, at the most basic level, need to speak to someone who will listen and understand their situation. People typically seek out the Foundation at a time when their symptoms are taking over their lives; when they need community and support; or when they have questions no one else seems to be able to answer. We are working hard every day to support each person who reaches out, and to create programs to address the needs of our community.”

Aidan Moore, Executive Director

“Over the years I watched Rebecca work tirelessly to make sure that no one suffered from dry eye alone. DEF is growing in so many important and exciting ways and we need your help more than ever. Please consider donating now so we can continue our mission to provide support and education and ensure the safety of people affected by dry eye.”

Monique Fox, Secretary

Cindy Edwards, Vice-President

“My eyes have always influenced the many decisions I have made throughout my life in terms of leisure activities, career choices and even where I can sit when going to a restaurant to avoid moving air and facing away from a sunny window because of light sensitivities. I was the teenager in the early '70s who always wore sunglasses when sunglasses weren't very cool yet!”

“For the last 21 years of my life (since I was 19 - I am now 40), my strength, drive and willpower has been significantly depleted through use towards something else than my career aspirations: finding a way to make each day comfortable and relatively pain free…The former Dry Eye Zone blog was a lifesaver to me during this time of deep depression (thanks Rebecca!). It allowed me to realize that others are facing similar trials and tribulations and it allowed me to learn about techniques other people were trying to treat their dry eyes that my doctor may not have made me aware were available.”

Amanda Mott, former Board Member

“Please donate! The Dry Eye Foundation needs your financial help to attend national meetings where eye care providers and industry representatives come together in one place.  The networking opportunities are terrific. The Dry Eye Foundation is taking the lead on over-the-counter eye drop safety issues. National meetings are a great way to make our presence known to both Big Pharma and Up-and-Coming Pharma.  Meetings also provide an opportunity for one-on-one interaction with eye care providers.”

Sandra Brown MD, Medical Advisor

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DEF through the years