Therapeutic Strategies to Treat Dry Eye in an Aging Population.

Dry eye (DE) is a prevalent ocular disease that primarily affects the elderly. Affecting up to 30% of adults aged 50 years and older, DE affects both visual function and quality of life. Symptoms of DE, including ocular pain (aching, burning), visual disturbances, and tearing, can be addressed with therapeutic agents that target dysfunction of the meibomian glands, lacrimal glands, goblet cells, ocular surface, and/or neural network. This review provides an overview of the efficacy, use, and limitations of current therapeutic interventions being used to treat DE.