WCO, Alcon and IACLE Partner to Advance Global Dry Eye Education

Monday, August 17 2026 | 13 h 30 min | News

The World Council of Optometry (WCO) and Alcon are expanding their global dry eye education initiative through a new partnership with the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE). This collaboration will allow university instructors worldwide to easily access the program’s digital learning tools—including the updated WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel and the Dry Eye Management Map—directly through the IACLE Teaching Online Platform (IACLETOP).

IACLE represents more than 1,100 members across 86 countries, spanning over 600 academic institutions, making this partnership a significant step toward strengthening dry eye education for students and educators around the world.

Updated Dry Eye Wheel Integrates TFOS DEWS III Recommendations

The newly released version of the WCO Alcon Dry Eye Wheel incorporates the latest guidance from the TFOS DEWS III report. This interactive tool supports eye care professionals in managing dry eye disease through three key steps: mitigation, measurement, and management.

Complementing the wheel, the Dry Eye Management Map provides an evidence‑based, interactive framework to help educators, students and clinicians navigate dry eye disease. Both tools are available in multiple languages—including Arabic, Chinese, French and Spanish—with more translations underway.

“We are grateful to have an incredible partner in IACLE to help us spread the word about these resources,” said Cindy Tromans, president of WCO. “Dry eye disease is a growing issue worldwide, so it’s critical that educators easily be able to access the program tools and use them to educate the next generation of ECPs.”

Strengthening Education for Future Eye Care Professionals

Alcon emphasizes the importance of practical, evidence‑based education in dry eye management. “By expanding access to the WCO Alcon dry eye initiative through IACLE, we can help equip educators and students around the world with the latest tools that support consistent, patient‑centered care today—and create new opportunities to advance dry eye education in the future,” said Carla Mack, Global Head of Professional Education and Development at Alcon.

IACLE’s involvement ensures that instructors can directly integrate these resources into their teaching. “This allows members to share the Dry Eye Wheel with their students, helping the next generation of ECPs to be patient‑care ready,” added Craig Woods, Executive Manager of Educational Development at IACLE.

Dry eye disease is a chronic condition affecting nearly 1.6 billion people worldwide, driven by factors such as increased screen use, environmental triggers and aging populations.

For more information on the WCO and Alcon dry eye initiative, visit dryeye.worldcouncilofoptometry.info.

Source: World Council of Optometry

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