Eyeworld

56 | EYEWORLD | DECEMBER 2023 C ORNEA by Julie Schallhorn, MD Cornea Editor In this issue, we have three articles in the Cornea section that demonstrate years of accumulated learnings. Joseph Tauber, MD, and Darrell White, MD, discuss the nuances of talking to dry eye patients. This is another field where our diagnostic and treatment capabilities continue to evolve at breakneck speed and is certainly one of the areas where most of what I learned in residency is outdated. I encourage you to read this article for an excellent perspec- tive on modern-day dry eye treatment. Francis Mah, MD, and Lisa Nijm, MD, JD, share their thoughts on neurotrophic keratitis. Our understanding of this condition has evolved immensely over the past several years, yielding impressive improvements in outcomes as well as an improved understanding of the diagnosis. An article on allergic conjunctivitis features Esen Akpek, MD, and Leonard Bielory, MD, a professor of allergy and immunology. Com- bined, they offer a wonderful perspective on the current understanding of the complex interplay between systemic and ocular conditions. As the year draws to an end, it is a natural time to recall the challenges that we have faced over the past 12 months and to reflect upon the lessons we have learned. The old adage that is taught to medical students is true: Medical knowledge is constantly evolving, with large- scale studies and new drugs but also in the way that we practice it every day. To manage this, we must keep in touch with the inquisitive medical student in our hearts and accept with humility that we always have the capability to learn. T he White Coat Cer- emony has become the official rite of passage marking the beginning of the transition to becoming a physician. In such cere- monies, besides the pomp and circumstance and so-named coating of the medical students, it is customary for the dean of the school to remark on the journey and impart wisdom upon the eager ears of the class. At my ceremony, on August 31, 2005, on the quad of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, I waited ea- gerly to hear such wisdom with my classmates by my side and clad in my crisp, slightly too large white coat. We received advice that has been oft given and to my knowledge, has never been shown to be true, but nonetheless forms a dictum by which we in medicine live. We were told that half of what we were to learn in medical school would be found to be incorrect over the course of our careers, and the rub was that no one could tell which half was the bad one. This incited a peculiar type of horror in my just-transitioned-to-medicine mind—how could we be treating patients with such a poor chance of getting it right? The answer to this, I came to realize, is the unique dedication of physicians to investigation, discovery, and of course, teaching. The theme of this issue, "Lessons Learned," acknowledges that a lot of the time, we just don't get it right. Sometimes we're working on bad information, bad assumptions, or a genu- ine lack of knowledge. Despite this, the way to make it right is to learn from our mistakes and teach others. Reflecting on lessons we have learned The white paper in EyeWorld regarding Regener-Eyes® eye drops (McDonald MB. Therapeutic poten- tial of Regener-Eyes® Ophthalmic Solution in the treatment of dry eye disease. EyeWorld. 2021;26:66– 73.) was based on information from the company's website. Since that time, some of the information used cannot be substantiated. Therefore, the author is retracting this paper.

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