From A to Z (Fridays with Andrew Zagelbaum, OD)

A New Chapter for Between the Blinks

When Ada and I started Between the Blinks, it really was just a passion project. We wanted a place where we could talk about dry eye, practice ownership, and everything that happens in between, without trying to make it sound like another journal article or industry publication. We wanted it to sound like us.

Today, we’re incredibly excited to announce that Bausch + Lomb will be the Presenting Partner of Between the Blinks for the remainder of 2026.

For us, this partnership means a lot more than having a company’s name attached to the newsletter. Bausch + Lomb is supporting something that, not too long ago, was simply an idea Ada and I were tossing around. Their support gives us the ability to invest back into BTB and start thinking a little bigger about what this can become.

We want to bring other doctors into the conversation. We want to collaborate with people doing interesting things around the country, explore different perspectives, and eventually expand beyond what Ada and I can write ourselves every week. There are a lot of ideas we have for BTB that take time and resources to put together, and having a partner willing to support us this early gives us more room to actually pursue them.

We’re also pretty proud that a company like Bausch + Lomb sees enough value in what we’re building to get behind it. BTB is still new, and having that support while we’re figuring out exactly what this can become means a lot to both of us.

With that said, we also want to be very clear about what this partnership doesn't mean. It doesn't mean our content changes, our opinions change, or that someone from Bausch + Lomb is sitting behind the scenes deciding what Ada and I can or cannot write about.

The reason people have connected with BTB so far is because it sounds like us, and protecting that is incredibly important. If we like something, we're going to tell you. If we disagree with something, we're going to tell you that too. Our partners and advertisers support Between the Blinks, but they do not control the voices behind it.

We think there is a way for industry and independent physician voices to work together without pretending that one has to become the other. Transparency is a big part of making that work, which is why we want you to know exactly what this partnership is and what it isn't from the beginning.

So, a huge thank you to Bausch + Lomb for believing in this little project of ours and helping us see where we can take it next.

Ada and I still get to show up every week and write what we want to write. Now we just have a little more help building what comes next.

Getting to the Point

One of the best—and worst—things about me is my directness.

I’m very much a get to the point person. And honestly… I think it’s getting a little out of hand.  We’ve reached the point where someone calls me and starts with, “How are you?”And my immediate internal response is: What do you need? Not because I don’t care about you. I promise I do. I just have a very low tolerance for unnecessary preamble.  Tell me what you need. Let’s solve it. Let’s move on.  Apparently, patience for small talk was not included in my personality package.

Have a great weekend!

Ada Noh, OD

Andrew Zagelbaum, OD

Special thanks to our 2026 Founding Presenting Partner, Bausch + Lomb!