For healthcare professionals

Definition of Dry Eye Flare

Many2 patients with chronic dry eye disease (DED) have episodic flares. These flares are characterised by a rapid exacerbation of Ocular Surface Disease symptoms, followed by a prolonged period of inflammation.

In an acute flare, ocular surface inflammation begins with a nonspecific innate immune response. In some cases this is followed by a slower, but more specific adaptive immune response3.

In chronic DED relatively low levels of stress can cause a ‘flare’ of the already-established adaptive immune response, thus leading to continuing inflammatory symptoms3.

Subclinical corneal inflammation is triggered by desiccating or osmotic stress which can last from days to weeks4.

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