Prof. Mohammad Javed Ali, head of the Govindram Seksaria Institute of Dacryology, LVPEI marks Dacryology’s forty-year journey from a nascent international society to the establishment of a dedicated institute for clinical and basic science research, training, and practice of Dacryology in one of India’s teeming southern metropolises.
The lacrimal gland and the nasolacrimal ducts are critical for supplying and draining tears, and thereby maintaining a tear film over the ocular surface. A complex balance must be maintained between the supply and drainage of this fluid, and several issues can develop within this system. These issues range from epiphora (excessive tears) to Dry Eye Disease, from pediatric and congenital conditions to inflammation, infection or even cancers.
Our knowledge of the existence of lacrimal disorders is surprisingly ancient, and yet, Dacryology--the clinical, anatomical, and histological study of the lacrimal glands—is a nascent science seeing an explosion of innovation and interest. This body of knowledge sits on the intersection of Ophthalmic Plastics Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), as the tear fluid is generated within the ocular orbit and is then drained into the nose. It has seen the development of a variety of tools and techniques, stimulating new research, and bringing a new crop of Dacryologists into the fold.
In an editorial in the journal Orbit, Prof. Mohammad Javed Ali, head of the Govindram Seksaria Institute of Dacryology (GSID), LVPEI, marks and celebrates the forty-year anniversary of the founding of an international society of Dacryology, and his vision for Dacryology’s future and how we can achieve it. GSID houses several components of Dacryology research, training, and practice within the framework of LVPEI’s founding interests: excellence, equity, and an emphasis on taking cutting-edge eye care to those most in need. This combination of a dedicated space to this science along with the commitment of access to those in need is unique, and in Prof. Ali’s words, ‘a dream [come true].’
‘Every now and then, we should stop and ask ourselves – Am I taking the not travelled or the less travelled paths? Why am I doing what I am doing and is there a better way to do that? Are my journeys through the unique paths helping those who are in need and those who are coming after me, equally?’ asks Prof. Ali. ‘The affirmative responses combined with a serious passion, hard work, and discipline would lay strong foundations for newer sciences and makes one live their dreams.’
Citation
Ali MJ (2022) Living a dream: Establishment of an Institute of Dacryology, Orbit, DOI: 10.1080/01676830.2022.2088808
Photo credit: Tarsal glands of lower lid lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct; Internet Archive.
