“Flight NZ29 is ready to board at Gate 4…” I’m in transit in Houston Airport, returning from my first in-person attendance in four years at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology conference (ARVO). As I mentally prepare for the 14.5 hours aboard my waka rererangi, I reflect on what a blast the last week has been – conference attendance was great, the poster halls were buzzing and the science was fabulous. Networking opportunities abounded and between each fascinating session, breakfast, lunch, dinner meetings and coffee catch-ups with colleagues offered windows to exchange ideas while sampling the culinary delights of the Deep South. Inevitably, there were some late nights, many early mornings, a cocktail here or there… it’s a lifestyle to be envied in many ways, but we have to wonder, does this come at a price in terms of the impact on our health and, specifically, our ocular surface health?
The topic is at the forefront of my mind as I stand, armed with my laptop and a to-do list longer than my arm, meticulously planning my plane time, which will involve staring at my digital screen without interruption, or much sleep, in a low-relative-humidity environment. Each of these risk factors individually – let alone in combination – can threaten ocular surface and tear film homeostasis. Plus, I’m a contact lens wearer, who regularly wears eye makeup!
A huge undertaking
