Purpose: To review developments in dry-eye research leading to new therapeutic possibilities and to suggest a prioritizing schema.
Methods: New development in our understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnoses, and treatment of dry-eye states have been reviewed along with the possible impact on new therapeutic approaches.
Results: A variety of approaches to the pathogenesis and degrees of dry-eye states have emerged, giving rise to significant new approaches to the treatment of these disorders.
Conclusion: There are now new treatment possibilities. Ranking their development based on their fundamental reversal of disease mechanisms seems a reasonable approach with early therapeutic pay-off.