BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS — (MARKET WIRE) — May 23, 2007 — The Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (”TFOS”) presented the findings of the International Workshop on the Definition, Diagnosis and Classification of Dry Eye Disease.
The Dry Eye WorkShop (”DEWS”), sponsored by TFOS, was created to provide an evidence-based critical review and summary of the classification, epidemiology, diagnosis, techniques of basic and clinical research, and management of dry eye disease.
“This report is conceived to be an unbiased document offering a global definition of dry eye disease. It is intended to be a stimulus for future dry eye research by Industry and the research community,” said Dr. David A. Sullivan, TFOS President, Senior Scientist, Schepens Eye Research Institute/Harvard Medical School and a DEWS Co-Organizer. “While commercial products are discussed in the report, no individual product is endorsed by TFOS. Moreover, all DEWS members were required to provide financial disclosure statements to ensure the credibility of the report.”
The workshop comprised of 70 experts from 12 countries. This three-year project culminated in a report that represents contemporary understanding and informed conclusions about dry eye disease. “Dry eye disease is a chronic, progressive disease that afflicts approximately 40-60 million people in the United States and 100 million worldwide,” noted Dr. Michael A. Lemp, Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, Georgetown University and DEWS Co-Organizer. “Furthermore, according to the 2003 Morgan Stanley Dry Eye Report, in the United States, diagnosis rates are estimated to be less that 20% of the dry eye patient population.”
The DEWS report addresses the following areas: Definition & Classification, Diagnosis, Epidemiology, Clinical Trials, Research, and Management & Therapy.
“These topics build upon a NEI/Industry Workshop of the early 1990’s, and will be of great appeal to basic scientists, clinical researchers and industry representatives with an interest in the cornea and external disease,” stated Anthony J. Bron, Professor Emeritus, Oxford University and DEWS Chair and Co-Organizer. “We undertook this project now because there was a critical need to redefine dry eye disease using current, evidence-based data.”
The DEWS report was published by The Ocular Surface and distributed to scientists and clinicians worldwide. A downloadable version of the document and additional material is available on the TFOS website: www.TearFilm.org. Translations of the report will be offered in numerous languages, including Spanish, French, Chinese, German, Italian and Japanese.
About the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society
TFOS, incorporated in 2000, is an international non-profit organization headquartered in Boston, MA. TFOS is dedicated to advancing the research, literacy and educational aspects of the scientific field of the tear film and ocular surface. TFOS reaches out to basic scientists, academic clinicians and industry representatives originating from more than 80 countries. TFOS organizes and coordinates international conferences, workshops and seminars, and promotes research collaborations, to help achieve their educational mission. More information about the Society can be found on the TFOS web site at www.TearFilm.org.