- lifestyle report
TFOS Lifestyle Report Introduction: A Lifestyle Epidemic - Ocular Surface Disease
Jennifer P. Craig a,*, Monica Alves b, James S. Wolffsohn c, Laura E. Downie d, Nathan Efron e, Anat Galor f, Jos´e Alvaro P. Gomes g, Lyndon Jones h, Maria Markoulli i, Fiona Stapleton i, Christopher E. Starr j, Amy Gallant Sullivan k, Mark D.P. Willcox i, David A. Sullivan k
a Department of Ophthalmology, New Zealand National Eye Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand b Department of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology, University of Campinas Campinas, Brazil c College of Health & Life Sciences, School of Optometry, Aston University, Birmingham, UK d Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia e School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia f Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Surgical Services, Miami Veterans Administration, Miami, FL, USA g Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Federal University of Sao Paulo/Paulista School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil h Centre for Ocular Research & Education, School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada i School of Optometry and Vision Science, UNSW Sydney, NSW, Australia j Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA k Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society, Boston, MA, USA
ARTICLE INFO
Keywords:
Global consensus workshop
Contact lenses
Cosmetics
Digital environment
Elective medications
Environmental conditions
Evidence quality
Nutrition
Public awareness
Societal challenges
Dry eye
Ocular surface disease
1. Background
Lifestyle defines how a person lives. While the way we live can impact our environment, the environment can influence the way we live, and both can affect our health. The ocular surface, and in particular the tear film, is susceptible to modifications due to its external (e.g.environmental conditions, lifestyle and societal challenges, and the digital environment), applied (e.g. contact lens wear and cosmetics) or internal (e.g. nutrition, and elective medications and procedures) environments. Consequently, it is critical for clinicians to understand the impact of lifestyle choices on the ocular surface so that they can communicate with their patients to optimize their health and, wherever possible, institute preventative steps to mitigate potential health risk factors.
To increase awareness of the potential impacts of lifestyle choices on ocular surface health, the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) launched the TFOS Workshop entitled “A Lifestyle Epidemic: Ocular Surface Disease.” Consistent with prior TFOS Workshops [1–4], the aim was to review existing literature, to identify gaps in knowledge and to propose future directions for research, with the long-term goal of around the world.
Under the leadership of the Workshop Chair Jennifer Craig, Vice Chair Monica Alves, and Organizer David Sullivan, a Steering Committee was formed (Table 1) to plan and execute this TFOS Lifestyle Workshop. The Steering Committee was committed to an evidence-based approach and a process of open communication, dialogue and transparency, to achieve a consensus concerning the relationship(s) between lifestyle factors and their impact on ocular surface disease.
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