The Definition and Classification of Dry Eye Disease: Report of the Definition and Classification Subcommittee of the International Dry Eye Workshop (2007)
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Abstract
The aim of the DEWS Definition and Classification Subcommittee was to provide a contemporary
definition of dry eye disease, supported within a comprehensive classification framework.
A new definition of dry eye was developed to reflect current understanding of the
disease, and the committee recommended a three-part classification system. The first
part is etiopathogenic and illustrates the multiple causes of dry eye. The second
is mechanistic and shows how each cause of dry eye may act through a common pathway.
It is stressed that any form of dry eye can interact with and exacerbate other forms
of dry eye, as part of a vicious circle. Finally, a scheme is presented, based on
the severity of the dry eye disease, which is expected to provide a rational basis
for therapy. These guidelines are not intended to override the clinical assessment
and judgment of an expert clinician in individual cases, but they should prove helpful
in the conduct of clinical practice and research.