Tear mediators in dry eye disease

Cui, L., Jia, R., Yu, C., Xu, Z., Yao, Y., Guo, J. and Ren, X. (2026) Associations of tear mediators with ocular surface symptoms, signs, and corneal nerve morphology in dry eye disease: a cross-sectional study. Front. Med. 13:1929287. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2026.1929287 My interest in corneal nerve function goes back to when I first used Oxervate in the mid-2010s. The patient had neurotrophic keratitis with an ulcer secondary to recurrent herpes zoster keratitis. When she finished treatment, she asked if she could take the drops in the other eye, as she felt her dry eye was much better in the treated eye. After a few months, her dry eye symptoms remained improved. As a result, I started her on Oxervate in the other eye. She felt good in both eyes for the first time in years. According to DEWS III, patient symptoms are essential in the diagnosis of dry eye. Even with the advent of advanced testing for dry eye, like Inflammadry, meibomography, etc., the best way to diagnose dry…