• The FDA approved InflammaDry, a rapid in-office test used to diagnose dry eye disease. Using a tear sample, the test detects the inflammatory marker matrix metalloproteinase-9, which is commonly elevated in patients with dry eye. The test only takes about two minutes to complete, and according to developer RPS, results of the test are available in just 10 minutes, allowing practitioners to develop a treatment plan with the patient still in office.

• The prevalence of dry eye in the United Kingdom will be assessed in a new study conducted by TearLab, in collaboration with the UK’s National Health Service. The multicenter study will include 1,000 subjects with varying complications as a result of dry eye. The study will use tear osmolarity testing to diagnose the presence of dry eye in the subjects.

• The cornea may soon become a useful crime-solving tool. A new study published in the journal PLOS ONE assessed the ability to use corneal reflections in high-resolution photographs for facial recognition. By zooming in and analyzing these reflections, observers were able to correctly identify faces 71% of the time in unfamiliar faces, and 84% of the time in familiar faces in face-matching tasks.

• Kala Pharmaceuticals has recently begun a Phase III clinical program for a drug designed to treat postoperative inflammation and pain as a result of cataract surgery. According to the company, loteprednol etabonate formulated in a nanosuspension is capable of passing through the mucus layer of the ocular surface, improving drug penetration. The goal is to reduce dosing frequency without reducing efficacy, Kala says.