Talking Eyes episode six is out now.
Titled Surgery and the Ocular Surface, in this episode, host Lien Trinh speaks with Brisbane optometrist and ocular surface co-management expert Jason Holland about the often-underestimated impact of surgery on tear film stability, comfort, and visual quality. The conversation unpacks why procedures such as laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), cataract surgery, and corneal grafts can trigger or worsen dry eye through a mix of nerve disruption, inflammation and meibomian gland dysfunction. Additionally, this podcast explores why signs may be present even when patients report few symptoms.
Mr Holland shares practical, clinic-ready strategies for identifying risk preoperatively, improving measurement accuracy for refractive outcomes, and setting expectations so patients understand that fluctuating vision can be tear-film driven. He outlines a pragmatic management pathway for before and after surgery, smarter drop choices, and when to escalate to step-up therapies for persistent cases, with a clear emphasis on early detection and patient education to protect both comfort and surgical satisfaction.
About Jason Holland
Jason Holland graduated from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in 1994 with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Optometry) (Hons) and began his career as a locum optometrist with The Optical Superstore in 1995, consulting across Australia. In 2001, he commenced sessional work with ophthalmologist and anterior eye specialist Dr Andrew Apel at the Eye Health Centre in Brisbane, and in 2002 was appointed National Director of Optometry for The Optical Superstore Group, supporting 89 optometrists across 60 locations nationwide. In 2006, Mr Holland founded an advanced Dry Eye Clinic at the Eye Health Centre, managing complex cases with the latest technologies. He later co-founded The Dry Eye Society of Queensland, where he is the current President. He has been a guest lecturer for the University of New South Wales short course on dry eye since its inception, completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics in 2012, and is a CASA credentialed optometrist. Mr Holland also served as a Director and Treasurer of Optometry Australia (QLD and NT) for nine years until 2017, sat on the Optometry Australia National Board for three years, and currently serves on the QUT, Deakin and UWA Optometry Advisory Boards. He has lectured on contact lenses and dry eye across Australia and South-East Asia, and was named Optometry Australia Queensland Optometrist of the Year in 2018.
The conversation unpacks why procedures such as laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), cataract surgery, and corneal grafts can trigger or worsen dry eye
Further Resources
For Eye Care Practitioners
- TFOS Dews III Management and therapy.
- ASCRS preoperative ocular surface disease algorithm
For Patients And Families
- Talking Eyes – Freedom with contact lenses – Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. In this episode, host Lien Trinh introduces contact lenses with Cornea and Contact Lens Society President Martin Robinson.
- Cornea and Contact Lens Society of Australia – contains useful information for both patients and practitioners.
