Dysfunctional tear syndrome deemed more accurate term

Baltimore-Dry eye syndrome, now called dysfunctional tear syndrome (DTS), is a complex scenario of signs and symptoms. The complexity of the clinical picture dictates the treatment strategy. Lid margin disease probably is more frequent than previously thought in dry eye syndrome.

"The new name for dry eye, DTS, was accepted because the original name was misleading to patients, who often have watery eyes," said Dr. Behrens, executive medical director, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital (KKESH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and holder of the endowed KKESH/Wilmer Professorship in International Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore.

"Therapy for DTS should be based on signs and symptoms because the standard tests, such as Schirmer's test and tear break-up time, do not reflect the disease severity," he added.