- TFOS Live/Virtual meeting in Rome, Italy - 2020
TFOS: Unique challenges and unmet needs for the management of ocular surface diseases throughout the world
Susan Erickson,
1 Amy Gallant Sullivan,
2 Juan Carlos Abad,
3 Monica Alves,
4 Stefano Barabino,
5 Jennifer P. Craig,
6 Maroun Eid,
7 Sarah Farrant,
8 José A.P. Gomes,
9 Leonard Heydenrych,
10 Geetha Iyer,
11 Elias F. Jarade,
12 Shigeru Kinoshita,
13 Emmanuel Kobia-Acquah,
14 Sihem Lazreg,
15 Todd Margolis,
16 Nicole Mechleb,
17 Alejandro Navas,
18 Naomi Nsubuga,
19 Reeda Bou Said,
7 Mohamed Shafik Shaheen,
20 Chie Sotozono,
21 Fiona Stapleton,
22 Jelle Vehof,
23 Piera Versura
24 and David A. Sullivan
2
Corresponding author: David A Sullivan, MS, PhD
Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society
dasullivan@me.com
Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest with regard to this report
Author affiliations
1Brookline, MA, USA
2TFOS, Boston, MA, USA
3Department of Ophthalmology, Antioquia Ophthalmology Clinic-Clofan, Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia
4Department of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of
Campinas – UNICAMP, São Paulo, Brazil
5Ocular Surface Center and Department of Ophthalmology, Sacco Hospital, Milan University, Milan, Italy
6Department of Ophthalmology, New Zealand National Eye Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland,
New Zealand
7Ophthalmology Department, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon,
8Earlam and Christopher Optometrists and Contact Lens Specialists, Taunton, UK
9Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo/Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil
10University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
11Sankara Nethralya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
12Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Beirut Eye and ENT Specialist Hospital, Ophthalmology Department, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon, and Mediclinic Dubai Mall, Dubai, United Arab Emirates,
13Department of Frontier Medical Science and Technology for Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
14Department of Optometry and Visual Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
15Cabinet Ophthalmologie, Alger Centre, Algiers, Algeria
16Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
17Ophthalmology Department, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon
18Institute of Ophthalmology, Conde de Valenciana, National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico
19Department of Optometry, School of Health Sciences at the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
20 University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt
21Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
22School of Optometry and Vision Science, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
23Section of Academic Ophthalmology, King's College London, London, UK, and Departments of Ophthalmology and Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
24Department of Specialized, Experimental, and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Abstract
The mission of the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) is to advance the research, literacy, and educational aspects of the scientific field of the tear film and ocular surface. Imagination and innovation are central to the TFOS vision. TFOS is about making things happen. One such recent happening was the TFOS organization of a special live/virtual meeting in Rome, Italy (September 9, 2020). Invited experts from Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas were asked to address from their perspective the unique challenges and unmet needs for the management (e.g., diagnosis and treatment) of ocular surface diseases in their regions, as well as what they perceived as short and long term scientific and clinical solutions. These medical needs and proposed solutions are the subject of this TFOS Special Meeting report.