Clinical background Lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) remains the only proven method of preventing the onset and progression of glaucoma, yet the role of IOP in the disease remains controversial. This…

Overview A consensus from the recent International Dry Eye Workshop revised the definition of dry-eye disease to: “Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that…

In 2007, the Report of the International Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS) defined dry eye as “a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that results in symptoms of discomfort,…

Clinical background Herpetic keratitis usually results from infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in adults and by HSV-2 in neonates. Occasionally the cause is varicella-zoster virus (VZV), either…

Overview Glucocorticoids (GCs) regulate normal physiological processes such as carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. However, GCs are most often used therapeutically because of their broad anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities (…

Clinical relevance of lipids in the tear film Lipids play a critical role in the health of the eyelids and the tear film. Abnormalities of these lipids are common in…

Clinical background Key symptoms and signs The symptoms of dry-eye disease are discussed in detail in Chapter 14 . A point that bears emphasis is that patient presentation is extremely…

The topic of ocular tear film breakup has long been the subject of considerable attention due to its implications both in contact lens design and in the study of corneal…

Clinical background The ocular surface comprises the entire and continuous mucosal outer epithelial lining of the eye lids, conjunctiva, and cornea. This chapter will focus upon ocular surface failure caused…

Allergic diseases of the eye Allergic eye disease is typically divided into four distinct types: allergic conjunctivitis, subdivided into seasonal and perennial allergic conjunctivitis (SAC and PAC, respectively), atopic keratoconjunctivitis…