Eye care professionals describe how WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel supports dry eye education, diagnosis and management in different regions
Dry eye may be complex, chronic and everywhere, but at least the tools to manage it are getting clearer. The World Council of Optometry (WCO), in partnership with Alcon (Geneva, Switzerland), has released a new video showcasing how eye care professionals (ECPs) from different regions are using the WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel in daily practice.
The video features ECPs from Latin America, the Middle East and North America, and explores how the web-based tool supports the diagnosis, treatment and explanation of dry eye disease. The condition affects approximately 1.4 billion people worldwide,* making consistent, practical frameworks increasingly essential in clinical care.
“This disease is a global epidemic,” said WCO President Dr. Cindy Tromans in a news release. “Having tools like the Dry Eye Wheel widely available and used in countries around the world is making a huge difference for both ECPs and the patients they treat.”
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ECPs share their experience
In the video, five ECPs—Dr. Silvia Marcela Escobar Duran (Colombia), Dr. Charbel Faraj (Qatar), Dr. Sal Jivraj (Canada), Dr. Aamer Ejaz Khan Niaz (Pakistan) and Dr. Asad Ullah (Pakistan) —describe how dry eye disease presents in their practices and communities.
The video can be viewed here:
Across regions, several ECPs noted that dry eye disease is becoming an increasingly common concern. Environmental factors such as air conditioning, prolonged digital device use, low humidity, dust and air pollution were frequently cited as contributors.
“Dry eye is actually a growing issue in my practice and community,” said Dr. Faraj. “I see a significant number of patients—both young and old—presenting with symptoms like burning, irritation and blurred vision, especially with increased quintile, environmental factors like dust, air pollution and air conditioning here in our region, become one of the most common concerns in our day to day practice.”
ECPs also reported seeing patients of a wide age range presenting with symptoms that include irritation, burning and blurred vision. Some added that patients may not recognize they have dry eye disease until symptoms begin to interfere with daily activities.
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A tool built around mitigation, measurement and management
The Dry Eye Wheel was developed by WCO and Alcon in consultation with Profs. Jennifer Craig (New Zealand), Lyndon Jones (Canada) and James Wolffsohn (UK). The tool is structured around three pillars—mitigation, measurement and management—and is designed to deliver practical, evidence-based procedures that optometrists can readily integrate into clinical workflows.
According to the ECPs featured in the video, the Dry Eye Wheel supports clinical decision-making by helping them classify dry eye severity and guide management strategies. One ECP highlighted that the wheel’s circular design reflects the ongoing, iterative nature of the dry eye care rather than a linear, one-time intervention.
Accessibility across languages and settings
The Dry Eye Wheel is available free of charge on the WCO website and has been translated into multiple languages, including Spanish, French and Chinese. In the video, the ECPs emphasized that this multilingual accessibility helps support understanding and adoption of the tool across diverse regions and practice settings.
“In my region, we sometimes have limited access to advanced equipment,” said Dr. Duran. “The wheel acknowledges this by assisting approaches that can be adopted based on available resources. It makes dry eye care more inclusive and ensures that even without the latest technology, we can still offer comprehensive care to our patients.”
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Editor’s Note: This content is intended exclusively for healthcare professionals. It is not intended for the general public. Products or therapies discussed may not be registered or approved in all jurisdictions, including Singapore.
*2020 Dry Eye Pharmaceuticals Market Report. Market Scope.