Imaging Biomarkers for Dry Eye Disease.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomarker Discovery
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Ocular surface diseases significantly impact patients and healthcare systems.
• Validated biomarkers and surrogate endpoints offer transformative potential in disease management.
• There is a growing need for objective measures in diagnosing and monitoring ocular surface disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role and potential of imaging biomarkers in ocular surface diseases.
• To highlight the current state and future directions for imaging technologies in this field.
• To discuss the integration of imaging biomarkers into clinical trials and practice.

Main Methods:

• Review of current imaging technologies for assessing tear film, meibomian glands, and ocular surface.
• Analysis of the evidence supporting imaging biomarkers for diagnosis and stratification.
• Examination of the use of imaging biomarkers as surrogate endpoints in clinical trials.

Main Results:

• Imaging technologies show promise for evaluating tear film stability/volume, meibomian gland function, and ocular surface microanatomy.
• Clinical trials are beginning to incorporate imaging biomarkers for diagnosis, stratification, and as surrogate endpoints.
• A strong body of evidence supports the utility of several imaging tools.

Conclusions:

• Imaging biomarkers hold significant potential to revolutionize the management of ocular surface diseases.
• Continued efforts in automatic acquisition, quantitative analysis, standardization, and validation are essential.
• Further development will enhance the reliable application of imaging biomarkers in research and clinical settings.