2026
Research published through September 27, 2026 explores treatments, symptom patterns, diagnostic tools, and possible risk factors.
Eye research / Dry eye
Dry Eye Research: A Year-by-Year Review
This collection chronicles how dry eye research has evolved, from early studies of symptoms and the tear film to newer work on diagnosis and treatment.
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Choose a publication year to read the study summaries and follow links to the original papers.
2025
Trials tested new and established care, population studies mapped dry-eye burden, and diagnostic work compared tear, blink, nerve, and imaging markers.
2024
Mixed results for cyclosporine and omega-3 were joined by large population analyses and new tear-marker and imaging methods.
2023
Three phase 3 perfluorohexyloctane trials anchored a year that also examined symptom burden and emerging dry-eye tests.
2022
A large omega-3 prevention trial found no reduction in new dry-eye diagnoses, while treatment, population, and diagnostic studies tested other approaches and measures.
2021
Studies tested new treatments, mapped dry-eye burden and sleep problems, and sharpened measurements of the tear film, glands, and corneal nerves.
2020
Researchers explored dry-eye burden, environmental exposure, gland treatment, pain, surgery, and emerging diagnostic tools.
2019
Health-system and community studies tracked dry eye across populations as treatment trials and measurement studies examined the tear film, glands, and symptoms in practice.
2018
The large DREAM trial challenged routine high-dose omega-3 use for dry eye. Smaller trials tested eyelid light treatment, lubricants, gland procedures, and Sjögren-related care, while population and diagnostic studies examined blinking, inflammation, and familiar test limits.
2017
U.S. prevalence, dry-eye pain, gland disease, new treatments, and the limits of familiar clinical tests came under closer study.
2016
Researchers tested new treatments for severe disease and meibomian gland dysfunction while investigating why symptoms, tear tests, and inflammation often disagree. Studies also followed ocular changes after surgery and measured dry-eye burden in children, contact-lens wearers, and other groups. Larger trials and cohorts advanced the field, while many devices and biomarkers remained early in development.
2015
Researchers examined anti-inflammatory treatments, meibomian gland therapy, the reliability of dry-eye tests, and how symptoms affect vision and daily life.
2014
Research ranged from population risk and tear-film changes to gland treatment, serum drops, diagnostic tests, and surgery.
2013
Treatment trials tested anti-inflammatory drops, tear supplements, and care for short tear breakup time. Surgery studies and new measures showed how varied dry eye can be, though many treatment results were preliminary or limited to particular patients.
2012
Research explored dry eye subtypes, meibomian gland dysfunction, daily impact, and a wider range of controlled treatments and diagnostic tools.
2011
New approaches measured tear quality and meibomian gland changes as large surveys mapped symptoms across populations. Treatment research examined cyclosporine, nutritional supplements, eyelid heating, and punctal surgery; results varied with patient group and outcome measure.
2010
Researchers sought clearer symptom measures, better tear-film tests, and controlled treatment comparisons while confronting the gap between clinical signs and daily experience.
2009
Researchers studied dry eye in large populations and after eye surgery, while probing tear proteins, eyelid glands, symptoms, and visual function.
2008
Researchers tracked dry eye across populations and clinical settings, tested treatments, imaged meibomian glands, and refined patient-reported measures.
2007
Studies explored how dry eye affects daily life, how to measure it, and which treatments showed promise in defined patient groups.
2006
Research tested treatments for meibomian gland dysfunction and other forms of ocular dryness. Other studies measured symptoms after LASIK, contact lens wear, and low-humidity exposure. New tests and population surveys broadened the picture, though many treatment studies remained small.
2005
Dry-eye research moved beyond tear quantity alone. Studies examined blinking, corneal nerves, tear-film optics, and inflammation, while treatment trials tested serum drops, punctal plugs, fatty acids, and lubricants. Large observational studies also explored who reported symptoms and which exposures traveled with them.
2004
Researchers conducted larger treatment trials and population follow-up while improving symptom measures and studying the tear film more closely.
2003
Population studies put firmer numbers on dry-eye symptoms while clinical trials tested a wider range of treatments. Other work explored how tear-film behavior, surface inflammation, and nerve changes vary across forms of the disease.
2002
Influential studies traced advances in dry eye treatment, visual function, testing, and the biology of the ocular surface.
2001
Researchers connected dry eye with ocular surface inflammation, hormonal exposure, contact lenses, and refractive surgery. Treatment trials tested whether changing tear substitutes or conserving tears improved symptoms and signs.
2000
Dry eye research moved from descriptive symptoms toward validated questionnaires, population estimates, and controlled treatment trials. Clinical and population studies also examined tear-film behavior, ocular-surface inflammation, and symptoms after refractive surgery.