1:30min
By Philip Ritchie
Journalist
The full TFOS DEWS II Report on dry eye disease is now available with free access on an app.
The app is an iOS- and Android-compatible version of the report by the International Dry Eye Workshop II (DEWS II). It was launched by the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS).
The report, published in the Ocular Surface Journal in July, represents two years work from 12 subcommittees and 150 researchers around the world, and covers the classification and diagnosis of the disease, and an assessment of its causes, impacts, distribution and mechanisms; and evaluates proper management and therapy.
The first iteration of the workshop published a report on dry eye disease 10 years ago. The National Eye Institute and Industry Workshop on Clinical Trials in Dry Eyes had published the first formal definition and classification of the disease in 1995.
With each publication, the definition has evolved. In 2015 77 per cent of the TFOS membership voted to change the definition of dry eye, and the latest report reflects the change:
‘Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface characterised by a loss of homeostasis of the tear film, and accompanied by ocular symptoms, in which tear film instability and hyperosmolarity, ocular surface inflammation and damage, and neurosensory abnormalities play aetiological roles.’
The main features of the app include improved navigation of the report’s content, fast loading times and its ability to operate offline, but it’s otherwise a replica of the TFOS DEWS II Report.
To read the report, download the free app for iOS or Android devices.