If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it’s that we should take nothing for granted and we should seize opportunities - to spend time with family and friends, to have the courage to take on a new challenge, or at least to challenge the status quo.
Lifestyle factors can be triggers for the development of dry eye symptoms, with an increasingly common culprit being screen use: blinking becomes less frequent and the quality of the blink is reduced. Evidence shows incomplete blinking is associated with increased levels of meibomian gland dysfuncti
The Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society’s (TFOS’) mission to advance the research, literacy and educational aspects of the scientific field of the tear film and ocular surface is well known. The non-profit organisation takes pride in pushing boundaries in terms of investing imagination and innova
Well known to many in the optical community, our brother Peter Nicholls was part of a three-generation optical family. Our late father Viv was an optometrist as are we and Peter’s niece (Bruce’s daughter) Georgia.
A recent case illustrates that, despite recent advances in the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease (DED), its identification often remains elusive. To prevent misdiagnosis, clinicians are reminded to watch out for key features.
Dry eye disease (DED) can be described as aqueous-deficient and/or evaporative dry eye1, the latter being more common (78%)2. The lipid layer of tears plays an important role in inhibiting tear film evaporation and in spreading the tears across the ocular surface3. This lipid layer stabilises the te
Demodex blepharitis remains an under-diagnosed condition, lacking universally accepted diagnostic and management protocols. Two species, Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis, have been reported to infest humans causing a recurrent chronic form of blepharitis¹,². The former is found in eyelash fol
In 2021, the Ocular Surface Lab (OSL) commenced the ‘Eye for an Eye’ study, with a view to better understanding the natural history of dry eye disease (DED) by observing changes occurring to the ocular surface of optometry students over the course of their degree. Approved by the the University of A
Social media is always super excited to let me know about clever new technology. The latest recommendation is the Laundry Jet, a domestic revolution in a tube! Tired of walking to the laundry? A vacuum-powered laundry chute whisks away your dirty T-shirts and socks from any room with a Laundry Jet p
A central clinical measure in the diagnosis and evaluation of dry eye disease is the tear film breakup time (BUT). Traditionally, its measurement has relied on the instillation of sodium fluorescein and subjective evaluation of the tear film breakup time using the slit lamp biomicroscope. More recen
The impact of anticancer drugs on the ocular surface
Auckland University’s Dr Ehsan Vaghefi, CEO and co-founder of Toku Eyes, has just launched the company’s second AI retinal screening product, Oraicle, in the US. The company’s technology saves sight and lives by identifying those most at risk of diabetic retinopathy and cardiovascular events. So why