Hiroko Iwashita

DVM, PhD

The Importance of the tear film

Maintaining the homeostasis of the ocular surface is crucial for ocular health and vision, with the tear film playing a significant role. Recently, quantity and qualitative tear deficiency (“Dry eye”) have been highlighted. However, “Dry eye” has not yet been clearly defined in the veterinary ophthalmology fields. This presentation summarizes the history and the purpose of the workshop’s establishment and highlights the importance of the tear film.

Dr. Hiroko Iwashita graduated from Azabu University in Japan. She began her veterinary ophthalmology training at Triangle Animal Eye Clinic in Tokyo, Japan, under the mentorship of Dr. Akihiko Saito, (DAiCVO,Charter). She completed her PhD in the Department of Ophthalmology, Toho University Graduate School of Medicine. Then she remained to the ocular surface team as a research member at Department of Ophthalmology, Toho University, Japan. Her main research at the team was wettability and friction on ocular surface using contact lenses and also continued her clinical research in ocular surface diseases in dogs at Triangle Animal Eye Clinic until this spring. Her clinical and research interests center on ocular surface diseases.

Lionel Sebbag

DVM, PhD, DACVO

Dry eye disease in cats:
current knowledge and emerging insights

Dr. Sebbag obtained his veterinary medical degree (DVM) from the National Veterinary School of Toulouse (France). He then completed a rotating Internship at Kansas State University before pursuing a 4-year Residency in Comparative Ophthalmology at the University of California-Davis. After his residency training, Dr. Sebbag went to Iowa State University to complete a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences focused on pharmacology and ocular disease models. He now works as a faculty member in Ophthalmology at the Koret Veterinary School in Israel. His clinical and research interests include ocular surface diseases, tear film biology and innovations in drug delivery to the eye.

Brian Leonard

DVM, PhD, DACVO

Is evaporative dry eye disease a thing in dogs?

Dr. Brian Leonard completed his undergraduate degree at Kenyon College (BA in Biochemistry) in Gambier, OH. After graduation, he completed his veterinary (DVM) and graduate (PhD) degrees at UC Davis through the Veterinary Scientist Training Program (VSTP). Dr. Leonard spent one year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in a small animal rotating internship and subsequently came back to UC Davis to complete a 4-year residency in comparative ophthalmology. Dr. Leonard is now an Assistant Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology at the University of California, Davis. He has both research and clinical commitments in the Comparative Ophthalmology and Vision Science Laboratory (COSVL) and the Ophthalmology Clinical Section in the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, respectively. Dr. Leonard’s research is focused on ophthalmic diseases of the ocular surface, including dry eye disease and microbial keratitis. He mentors post-docs, residents, as well as graduate and undergraduate students in the basic science laboratory and in the animal modeling laboratory of COSVL. During his residency, Dr. Leonard became involved in an exciting project focusing on the multidisciplinary approach to nasolacrimal duct obstructions. As a faculty member, he has continued in this area of specialization, leading the team of experts to re-establish patency of the nasolacrimal duct.