Since our last dry eye special feature, dry eye has gone mainstream. My in-box never empties of news about the latest dry eye products and dry eye research or different organisations offering the next best thing for dry eye sufferers.

Spurred on by the hard-working TFOS DEWS II team and the multitude of international ambassadors who have come to the organisation’s aid to champion dry eye in their region (see main story, this page), dry eye is finally beginning to get the attention it deserves. Since the TFOS DEWS II report was released last year, there’s been a plethora of research started, completed and ongoing; a great deal more sharing of ideas; and a far greater focus on dry eye from across the eye health spectrum, all of which can only be good for patients whose lives are often severely affected by the pain and discomfort of dry eye disease.

We are proud to bring you the latest update on all things dry eye from this part of the world and further afield, recognising the collaborative efforts ongoing in dry eye today, many initiated or involving our own University of Auckland.

We would like to thank the many contributors to this year’s Dry Eye Special Feature, but especially our clinical editor, Associate Professor Jennifer Craig, New Zealand’s own international dry eye expert who, with considerable time and effort on her part, makes this feature possible. Jennifer not only helps us celebrate the work on dry eye on this side of the world, but also ensures the quality and breadth of the dry eye research and news we share continues to further all of our understanding and knowledge of dry eye.

For more on Dry Eye, see our Dry Eye Special (click to read).