This year, the European Dry Eye Society held its annual Congress in the historic city of Krakow, Poland. The Congress location was Fabryczna 13, a modern complex located in the restored buildings of an old vodka factory built in the 1930s.
The Congress was opened by its president Christophe Baudouin, who presented the European Dry Eye Society recognition award to Professor Maurizio Rolando from Italy. As always, the programme was varied, and covered the latest developments in the management of dry eye disease.
The session entitled 'Did you know?' was presented by members of the Tear Film and Ocular Surface society (TFOS). James Wolffsohn (Aston University, UK) spoke on the topical use of amniotic membranes as a dry eye disease therapy. This was followed by Jennifer Craig (Auckland, New Zealand) who presented evidence-based guidance on detecting ocular surface inflammation in the clinical setting. José Benítez del Castillo (Madrid, Spain) spoke about the association between dry eye disease and retinal surgery.
For eye specialists new to managing dry eye disease, a beginners’ course gave advice on how to optimise the first two minutes of the consultation, quick tips for using the slit lamp, and how to set up a personalised therapeutic approach for the patient. This was followed by a session discussing the importance of ocular surface issues in glaucoma patients.
The keynote lecture was delivered by Cintia De Paiva (Houston, US). She presented new insights regarding the gut-eye axis, with reference to dry eye disease. This was followed by a discussion session on nutrition and dry eye.
Focus topics were also included the programme. The Asia Dry Eye Society presented on the forgotten role of mucin, and the European Contact Lens Society of Ophthalmologists (ECLSO) presented on the impact of contact lens wear with reference to dry eye disease. A group from the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) presented a session on '20-20 - The Unhappy Patient' which looked at the impact of a dry eye diagnosis and cataract surgery.
As always, the meeting was insightful and thought provoking and helped all delegates keep up-to-date with the recent advances in both the research and management of dry eye disease. It is anticipated that the congress next year will take place in Italy, with the location and dates to be confirmed in due course and will be published on the website.
For more information, visit: www.dryeye-society.com
