DRY EYE REDEFINED:
TFOS DEWS II REPORT

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The TFOS DEWS II Report is available after two and a half years of effort. This massive undertaking involved 150 clinical and basic research experts from around the world, who utilized an evidence-based approach and a process of open communication, dialogue and transparency to achieve a global consensus concerning multiple aspects of dry eye disease. This TFOS DEWS II report is the sequel to the original TFOS DEWS publication of 2007.

The TFOS DEWS II report redefines dry eye as:
". . . a multifactorial disease of the ocular surface characterized 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 etiological roles."

This report also updates the classification and diagnosis of dry eye, critically evaluates the epidemiology, etiology, mechanism, and impact of this disorder, addresses its management and therapy, and proposes recommendations for the design of clinical trials to assess new pharmaceutical interventions for dry eye treatment.

This TFOS DEWS II initiative is very important, because dry eye disease is a global problem, afflicting over 30 million people in the United States alone, at least 344 million people worldwide, and is one of the most frequent causes of patient visits to eye care practitioners.

Translations of the TFOS DEWS II report will be offered in numerous languages, including but not limited to French, Italian, German, Spanish (sponsored by Allergan), Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Vietnamese (sponsored by Novartis), Japanese (sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision), Romanian, and Turkish (sponsored by SIFI).

TFOS thanks all the TFOS DEWS II members and sponsors who helped make this report a reality. TFOS also gives special thanks to Dan Nelson and Jenni Craig, who led this effort as Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively.dry eye disease, critically assess the etiology, mechanism, distribution and global impact of this disorder, and address its management and therapy.
 
TFOS DEWS II was published in the Ocular Surface Journal, July 2017.