The World Council of Optometry and Alcon have engaged three global experts as lead faculty for their dry eye disease education initiative

From the WCO and Alcon Dry Eye Disease Education Initiative Faculty

The World Council of Optometry and Alcon have engaged three global experts as lead faculty for their dry eye disease education initiative.  The worldwide evidence-based program is designed to raise optometrists’ understanding of dry eye etiology and prevalence, diagnosis, and practical management. 

Professors Jennifer Craig, Lyndon Jones, and James Wolffsohn will distill the growing amount of research and clinical evidence into accessible educational content.  Our faculty members shared their initial thoughts as the program gets underway:

“Chronic dry eye disease that adversely impacts daily life remains one of the most commonly reported problems in eye care practice globally. It’s an honor to be involved in this valuable collaboration between WCO and Alcon, which offers an exciting opportunity to raise awareness of this impactful disease and, using the best available scientific evidence, to support practitioners in any clinical setting across the world to deliver optimal care for patients with dry eye.”
Jennifer Craig
Professor Jennifer Craig
PhD FCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA, FCLS, heads the Ocular Surface Laboratory in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Auckland.
“Dry eye disease is a global issue that continues to grow in terms of the numbers of people it affects and the impact it has on sufferers. Data shows quite clearly the impact it has on eye health, ocular comfort, depression, and economic burden. I am delighted that the WCO has partnered with Alcon to make people more aware of the fact that dry eye disease is more than just an annoyance; it has a real impact that needs to be addressed. I am extremely excited to be part of the team raising awareness of this issue.”
Lyndon Jones
Professor Lyndon Jones
DSc, FCOptom, FAAO, is the Director of the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo.
“A substantial proportion of our patients have dry eye disease, impacting their quality of life. As eye care practitioners, we need to be unified in our differential diagnosis and evidence-based in our management of this chronic disease. The partnership between the WCO and Alcon offers great potential to raise the profile of dry eye disease and to improve the quality of eye care provided to patients worldwide.”
Professor Wolffsohn
BSc, MBS, PhD, FCOptom, FAAO, is Head of the School of Optometry and Department of Audiology at Aston University.