The World Council of Optometry (WCO) and Alcon have expanded the availability of their free digital dry eye education resources, the WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel and Dry Eye Management Map, which are now accessible in 10 languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Hungarian, Dutch, Bahasa, Ukrainian, and Czech. The expansion is part of the organizations’ ongoing initiative to increase access to dry eye education and clinical resources for eyecare professionals worldwide.

The WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel is an interactive platform designed to support dry eye care through 3 steps: mitigation, measurement, and management. Earlier this year, the tool was updated to incorporate recommendations from the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society Dry Eye Workshop III (TFOS DEWS III) report.

The Dry Eye Management Map, developed to complement the wheel, provides an interactive, evidence-based resource for eyecare professionals, educators, and students . According to WCO and Alcon, both tools support clinical decision-making, though optometrists retain responsibility for determining appropriate patient care.

The organizations also highlighted the increasing prevalence of dry eye disease: An estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide experience the condition daily as a result of increased technology use, environmental triggers, and aging, among other contributing factors.

“As digital devices become an increasingly constant part of daily life, people may blink less frequently and incompletely, disrupting the tear film and contributing to dry eye symptoms,” said Carla Mack, OD, MBA, FAAO, FBCLA, global head of professional education and development at Alcon in a press release. She added that making evidence-based resources available in additional languages can help eyecare professionals recognize dry eye symptoms, counsel patients, and provide individualized care based on clinical judgment.

Both the WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel and Dry Eye Management Map are available online at no cost.