Subcommittee chairs highlight aspects of DEWS II report

BALTIMORE — The Epidemiology Subcommittee discovered an 8% to 10% increase in dry eye disease over the past 10 years, according to the Tear Film Ocular Surface Dry Eye Workshop II Report Special Interest Group at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting.

The DEWS II report will be an update to the original report from 2007 and will be published around July 1.

“In signs-based dry eye disease, we found no female prevalence and no sex effect in staining or Schirmer scores. However, [tear breakup time] is typically higher in females,” Fiona Stapleton, BSc, MSc, PhD, McOptom, DCLP, FAAO, subcommittee chair, said, who was one of the first presenters in the rapid-fire panel.

James Wolffsohn , PhD, FAAO, Diagnostic Methodology Subcommittee chair, suggested new triaging questions to determine whether a patient has actual DED:

How severe is your eye discomfort?

How long have your symptoms lasted, and was there a triggering event?

Is your vision affected, and does it clear on blinking?

Are the symptoms of redness worse in one eye than the other?

Does your eye itch?

Are they swollen with crust or discharge?

The Management and Therapy Report strongly suggests avoiding preservatives in severe dry eye patients.

“They are very few [randomized controlled trials] comparing the relative superiority of any particular [over-the counter] product to others, and that certainly warrants looking into,” according to Lyndon Jones, BSc, PhD, FCOptom, DipCLP, DipOrth, FAAO, FIACLE, FBCLA, chair of the subcommittee.

“This section of the report includes what I think is the very best and most extensive section that I’ve seen worldwide on surgical approaches to the management of dry eye,” Jones continued.

The role of general hydration and a variety of other factors including alcohol and essential fatty acids was explored.

The report also includes a unique section looking at the growing evidence supporting the use of complementary medicine such as herbal and natural products, honey, milk and acupuncture, he said. – by Abigail Sutton

Reference:

Sullivan DA, et al. Conclusions and recommendations from the TFOS Dry Eye Workshop II. Presented at: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology annual meeting; May 7-11, 2017; Baltimore.

Disclosure: Stapleton reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.