In this issue of Optometric Management, we present our annual “Practicing Medical Optometry” section on managing dry eye disease (DED). Also, past July issue columns have recommended taking vacations, which can improve health and cognitive function, while reducing stress.

One connection between these two themes is staff delegation. How so? A well-educated team that takes on more responsibilities can ease levels of stress, and may even make it easier to take some much-needed time off. (For delegation tips, see “Delegate Duties to Staff,” in OM June 2022 at bit.ly/OM2022Delegate .) Also, by delegating responsibilities, such as certain tests or in-office treatments, practices may be able to expand their levels of DED care.

THE CHANGING FACE OF DED

The timing may be right for practices to consider additional opportunities for DED management: The face of DED has changed, with the chronic condition now recognized as affecting all ages, writes Dr. Janelle Davison in “Manage Dry Eye Disease in All Ages” (p.20). To address this change, Dr. Davison describes how to manage DED across generations.

As Drs. Hardeep Kataria and Mahnia Madan write in “Consider In-Office Dry Eye Treatments” (p.28), in-office treatments can help create a partnership with patients and support at-home treatment efforts, while differentiating a practice.

Dr. Susan Resnick reminds us that, in addition to recognizing a new contact lens wearer’s refractive and lifestyle needs, successful wear depends on the patient’s ocular surface health. In “Perform a Pre-fit Ocular Surface Evaluation” (p.36), Dr. Resnick provides a step-by-step approach to assessing the health of the ocular surface.

In “Dry Eye Disease: OD Questions Answered” (p.42), four leading ODs (Drs. Glenn S. Corbin, Vin T. Dang, Scott Hauswirth, and Cecelia Koetting [OM’s DED columnist]) answer the most common DED-related questions readers have asked us recently. Topping the list: What is new and different about DED treatment in the last two years?

There’s much more in this issue, including DED-related columns by Dr. Austin Lifferth (“Glaucoma,” p.50) and Chief Optometric Editor Dr. April Jasper (“Coding,” p.60). We thank you for making it a part of your summer reading. OM