Living a dream: Establishment of an Institute of Dacryology

Modern medicine has witnessed the evolution and establishment of numerous subspecialties, and Dacryology is a recent addition to the list.^1–3 Dacryology is the science of tears and their drainage through the lacrimal system into the nasal cavity. This branch is mostly practiced by Ophthalmologists (mainly the oculoplastic surgeons) and Otorhinolaryngologists. To advance the science, a society, “International society of Dacryology’, initially referred to as “Internationalis Societas Dacryologiae” was formed in 1982 at Lubbock in the United States during the international tear film symposium. Subsequently, the society conducts triennial conferences featuring advances in lacrimal sciences. With the rapid pace of developments in Oculoplastic surgery pertaining to imaging, surgical techniques, education, and research, lacrimal sciences got a parallel boost. They are increasingly becoming a subject of interest to numerous Oculoplastic surgeons worldwide.

The establishment of a focused Dacryology service at the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute in 2014 was a significant step that facilitated contributions to the recent developments in lacrimal drainage disorders and their management, as evident by the academic output spanning arenas involving basic and clinical sciences. The global literature of the last five years demonstrates rapid advances in endoscopic techniques, instrumentations, three-dimensional surgeries, evidence-based approach to controversies, revisit to fundamental anatomical and physiological concepts, natural histories of lacrimal disorders, electron microscopic understanding of lacrimal disorders, the evolution of optical coherence tomography for the proximal lacrimal system, enhanced understanding of lacrimal drainage associated lymphoid tissues, evolving concepts of lacriome and hormonal profiling of the lacrimal drainage system in health and diseased states, to name a few.^4,5

Practicing this subspecialty to its full potential would require larger dedicated space, structured education, research, and community health components. To achieve these goals, the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute has taken another significant step in 2016 by establishing the “Govindram Seksaria Institute of Dacryology”, the first of its kind on a global platform with the generosity of the Seksaria family from Mumbai. The institute aims to cater to patients’ needs with a 360-degree view encompassing basic and clinical sciences, common, uncommon, simple, and complex issues of the lacrimal system. By establishing a structured Dacryology curriculum in fellowships and research, an endeavor to reach the patients of the future with better solutions has begun. A sharp focus on translational research would go a long way in achieving these goals. While the commitment to Excellence is unflinching, the effort to provide equitable care to every human being is equally unwavering, irrespective of their economic status. This quest of Excellence with Equity, the motto of L.V. Prasad Eye Institute since its inception more than three decades ago, has enabled lacrimal surgeons in this part of the world to witness and live this dream.

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Mohammad Javed Ali receives royalties from Springer.

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The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.