Foreword – European Ophthalmic Review, 2013;7(1):5

I would like to welcome you to the summer edition of European Ophthalmic Review, which features timely reviews and updates in glaucoma and surgical techniques, ocular surface, dry eye disease, diabetic macula oedema, optic neuritis and uveal melamona. My featured article entitled ‘Ocular Surface Disorders and Cataract and Refractive Surgery Success’ highlights the importance of the study of the meibomian glands in patients undergoing cataract or refractive surgery. In recent years we have seen a significant number of patients complain of poor results even when surgery was successful. They usually have poor visual quality and subjective complaints, with a low degree of satisfaction. In many of these cases, ocular surface disorders were not diagnosed before surgery, which are the cause of poor results. One of the problems we found when studying the ocular surface is that we do not always have the appropriate criteria and the most effective methods to detect a possible disorder. Usually we just study the tear break-up time, tear secretion and vital dyes of the cornea and conjunctiva, but we sometimes forget to assess the structure of the tear, the lipid layer and the state of the meibomian glands. Today we have new technologies that allow us to analyse these factors, especially the ability to view the meibomian glands, their number and appearance, as well as the lipid layer, the tear film distribution, even in a dynamic way, which provides more information to the assessment of their participation in the potential damage to the ocular surface. In our experience we have seen that the possibility of studying the ocular surface and the state of the meibomian glands is critical to prepare patients before cataract or refractive surgery. Improved visual results and the degree of satisfaction has increased significantly, so we recommend incorporating this practice into the patients’ protocol for anterior segment surgeons. European Ophthalmic Review would like to take this opportunity to thank all participants on this edition, from organisations to individuals. A special thanks goes to our editorial board for their continuing support and invaluable guidance and the biggest thanks are reserved for the expert authors, who spared precious time and effort to produce a perceptive selection of articles. This expert discussion and the wide variety of topics covered ensure there is much of interest for every reader and we hope you find this edition as useful and insightful as those before it.