INTERVENTIONAL DRY EYE

WIDES does not promote a collection of technologies. It promotes a clinical framework designed to structure the diagnosis and management of Dry Eye Disease according to the mechanisms identified in each patient.

A concept, not a catalogue

Interventional Dry Eye is not about accumulating or promoting technologies. Diagnostic and therapeutic tools are selected according to the mechanisms identified in each patient.

Beyond symptomatic care

The objective is to move beyond symptomatic treatment by identifying and targeting the mechanisms that drive and sustain the disease.

The art of combining

Because several mechanisms may coexist in the same patient, management often requires the selection, combination and sequencing of complementary interventions.

HOW IT WORKS

From accurate diagnosis to targeted intervention, WIDES structures care through a four-step, mechanism-based process.

1 Define the diagnostic profile Dry eye disease must first be characterized according to its dominant clinical profile rather than approached as a uniform symptomatic entity.
2 Identify the main drivers A structured evaluation identifies the predominant mechanisms: evaporative, aqueous deficient, inflammatory, obstructive, neurogenic, or mixed.
3 Select the relevant combination Diagnostic tools and treatment modalities are positioned according to their clinical utility, as components of an integrated strategy.
4 Reassess and adjust Because dry eye disease is dynamic, longitudinal follow-up and therapeutic adjustment remain essential components of effective care.

Mechanism → Intervention Matrix Awaiting medical validation

Predominant mechanism / compartment	Interventional responseillustrative framework
Inflammatory / vascular component	IPL and combined anti-inflammatory/interventional approaches
Mechanical obstruction / gland dysfunction	Thermal modalities and meibomian gland expression
Cellular / neurosensory dysfunction	QMR and/or photobiomodulation where clinically relevant
Surface alteration / debris / epithelial compromise	Lid-margin debridement and supportive/regenerative ocular-surface strategies

THE SOCIETY BEHIND THE CONCEPT

WIDES is an international scientific society dedicated to developing, structuring and disseminating a modern, evidence-based approach to Dry Eye Disease and ocular surface care.

It brings together clinicians, researchers and innovators to develop a more structured, mechanism-based approach to diagnosis and treatment, while promoting scientific exchange, education, clinical research and international collaboration.

Mission & Vision

Welcome to WIDES, the World Interventional Dry Eye Society. Our mission is to advance the management of dry eye disease through accurate diagnosis, pathophysiology-driven treatment, and evidence-based interventional strategies.

Over recent years, our understanding of dry eye disease and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) has evolved considerably, together with the development of device-based therapies targeting specific pathophysiological mechanisms.

WIDES provides an up-to-date overview of modern therapeutic strategies, with particular emphasis on the rational integration of topical therapies and interventional treatments, including intense pulsed light, electrical current-based therapies, photobiomodulation, thermal therapies, radiofrequency, and mechanical gland treatments.

The Interventional Dry Eye concept has been developed and promoted by WIDES under the chairmanship of Professor Pablo Dighiero.

Accurate diagnosis should guide the selection and combination of treatments according to the predominant pathophysiological mechanisms in each patient.

Through an evidence-based, pathophysiology-driven, and multimodal approach, WIDES promotes the integration of innovative technologies into structured clinical practice.

This platform is intended for ophthalmologists and eye care professionals seeking practical, modern, and scientifically grounded strategies for the management of dry eye disease.

Our mission is to improve clinical outcomes by restoring tear film stability, optimizing meibomian gland function, controlling ocular surface inflammation, and re-establishing ocular surface homeostasis.

WIDES invites you to explore the future of interventional dry eye care.

A More Structured Approach to Dry Eye Care

Modern Dry Eye Disease management should move beyond symptom-based treatment and isolated technologies.

The WIDES approach begins with accurate diagnosis, identifies the mechanisms responsible for disease and translates this information into a personalized interventional strategy.

WIDES Goals

Establish Interventional Dry Eye as a structured clinical framework. Move dry eye management beyond symptom-based treatment toward an approach that links pathophysiological mechanisms, objective diagnostic findings, and targeted therapeutic combinations.
Standardize dry eye assessment. Promote the eTAO Score as a structured and reproducible clinical tool to support patient characterization, treatment selection, and longitudinal follow-up across clinical practices.
Advance education and clinical exchange. Bring clinicians, researchers, educators, and innovators together through the annual WIDES Congress, shared clinical protocols, hands-on education, and an international network dedicated to advancing dry eye care.