A White Paper by the World Organization of Dermophthalmology (WOD)
Conceived in Greece — Applied Worldwide
Executive Summary
Modern medicine has achieved remarkable advances through specialization. However, this necessary fragmentation has also created clinically relevant gaps—areas of the human body that do not fully belong to a single discipline and therefore remain insufficiently addressed. One such area is the functional, biological, and clinical interface between the skin and the eye, with particular emphasis on the eyelids, eyelashes, and ocular surface.
The eye is not an isolated organ, nor are the eyelids merely periocular skin. Together, they form a complex, integrated system responsible for protection, lubrication, immune balance, sensory signaling, and visual performance. Despite this interdependence, the care of the eye–skin interface has historically been divided between ophthalmology and dermatology, resulting in fragmented approaches, suboptimal long-term management, and a growing burden of chronic conditions.
In recent decades, global increases in dry eye disease, meibomian gland dysfunction, blepharitis, ocular surface inflammation, periocular dermatitis, and screen-related ocular fatigue have highlighted the limitations of episodic, symptom-focused care. These conditions frequently coexist, recur, and persist precisely because they arise from a shared functional ecosystem rather than isolated pathology. Current clinical models, which rely heavily on short-term pharmacological interventions or purely cosmetic solutions, often fail to address the underlying, long-term needs of this interface. At the same time, parallel developments in ophthalmology, dermatology, ocular surface science, and preventive medicine—reflected in a growing body of international research—underscore the necessity for a unified, interdisciplinary framework. This convergence of scientific evidence and clinical experience marks a critical moment for formal recognition of a new field.