Ocular Anterior Surface Disease or dry eye syndrome affects nearly 16 million Americans and can be a common and chronic problem for adults, especially for those of advanced age, causing symptoms that interfere with eye comfort, function and quality of life. Competent evaluation to determine the etiology of dry eye syndrome is necessary for successful symptom management as therapeutic regimens must be specific to the underlying causes to be effective. This activity will examine the multiple parts of eye anatomy, the dysfunction of which may contribute to dry eye syndrome, including the tear film, ocular anterior surface and Meibomian gland, and identify complications that can result when dry eye is left untreated. Importantly, a thorough review of optimal treatment regimens will be provided, as well as updates on newer and emerging targeted treatments, with a focus on providing relief and preventing further damage to the eye.

In this podcast Nealie White, an individual with Pomp disease, will share her insights and perspectives, and panelists will provide strategies that the interprofessional health care team can utilize to better support people who are impacted by rare diseases.

Diabetes can cause potentially irreparable eye damage and poor vision over time. This activity will review the role of optometrists in the areas of prevention, co-management and rehabilitation for individuals with diabetes. It will focus on how to conduct a diabetes risk assessment, ongoing care of individuals with known diabetes and collaboration among members of the interprofessional health care team for optimal outcomes. Key strategies for vision rehabilitation will also be addressed.

The daily stressors associated with providing care can often lead health care professionals (HCPs) to feel emotional exhaustion, decreased empathy, reduced effectiveness, decreased work-related fulfillment and a lack of accomplishment. This activity will provide HCPs with individual and organizational strategies to increase resilience (the ability to cope with and recover from difficult experiences) and proactively respond to challenging situations, both of which can improve mood and mental health and increase joy and satisfaction in daily health care practice. It will also describe individual and team-related traits necessary to develop resiliency and discuss preventive measures to counteract burnout.