The international workshop on meibomian gland dysfunction: introduction.

There are rare occasions in a field of science when significant advances occur in leaps and bounds, rather than in small, deliberate steps. This moment is imminent in the field of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD)—and therefore in dry eye disease. The goals of the International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction were twofold: first, to develop a consensus understanding of the meibomian gland in health and disease; second, to disseminate the knowledge broadly to further the field. Over the past several years, although the body of knowledge about dry eye has been expanding, it has become clear that significant detail and direction relative to the impact of the meibomian gland in dry eye have been lacking. The Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS; http://www.tearfilm.org), a nonprofit organization, launched the International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (www.tearfilm.org/ mgdworkshop/index.html) in conjunction with generous industry sponsors that supported the workshop process through unrestricted grants, allowing volunteers to come together to plan, execute, translate, and present the findings of the workshop at a variety of meetings worldwide.