Engaging Stakeholders to Develop a Roadmap for Dry Eye and MGD PCORI-Funded Research.

Introduction: Although affecting an estimated 35% of the population, Dry Eye is not well understood by patients and the medical community. As a result, both in research and clinical settings, diagnostic and treatment protocols tend to be non-specific, ad hoc, and inadequate, with a narrow industry-driven focus. The purpose of this convening was to propose a research roadmap that orients Dry Eye researchers toward a comprehensive patient-centered approach to diagnosing and treating Dry Eye, Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), and related comorbidities with a goal of improving clinical outcomes for Dry Eye/MGD patients. Methods: Sixteen participants, including Dry Eye/MGD patients, caregivers, and patient advocates together with a group of experts in Dry Eye, MGD and other fields identified gaps in research on Dry Eye and MGD diagnostic and treatment approaches (age range 20-80; male to female ratio of 7:11; patients: 7). During a 2-day virtual convening, participants were assigned to topic-specific focus-group sessions to discuss and develop research questions pertaining to Dry Eye and MGD. The research questions were compiled into a proposed patient-centered roadmap for Dry Eye and MGD research. Two additional participants contributed to the proposed roadmap following the convening. Results: The focus groups identified over 80 patient-centered research questions important to patients and other stakeholders and compiled these into a proposed research roadmap. Conclusion: The convened stakeholders aim to establish a cohesive and comprehensive patient-centered approach to treating Dry Eye, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, and comorbidities. The research roadmap will serve as a reference for researchers, educational institutions, clinicians, and others evaluating diagnostic and treatment protocols in Dry Eye and MGD.