The Dry Eye Institute (DEI) is kicking off the new year with newly launched dry eye treatment-based offerings for eyecare professionals (ECPs): both virtual and hybrid programs as well as live event opportunities.
First, a rundown on DEI.
Founded in 2017 by Crystal Brimer, OD, FAAO, a dry eye specialist and owner of Dry Eye Equation in Wilmington, North Carolina, DEI is designed as a premier educational program.
Its target audience: Both optometrists and ophthalmologists specializing in advanced dry eye care as well as those interested in advancing their knowledge and expertise in this ocular surface disease (OSD) treatment.
Explain what this program includes.
Referred to as a “comprehensive” program, DEI aims to provide ECPs with skills and resources to integrate dry eye care protocols into their clinical practice—with the goal of “improving both patient care and practice efficiency."
Included in this curriculum are live courses and a brand-new on-demand option for participants.
Talk about the curriculum.
Available in both live and virtual formats, DEI offers participants four key areas of dry eye-based support:
- Comprehensive training
- Exclusive resources
- Dry eye-based product backpack
- Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE)-accredited continuing education (CE) credits
Dive into each of these.
Featured in DEI’s comprehensive training are the following:
- Clinical protocols for streamlining dry eye treatment
- Strategies targeting:
- Office flow
- Scheduling
- Staff training
- Patient education
- Tailored guidance on practice-based marketing and billing
The curriculum’s exclusive resources include:
- A 400-page clinical manual and 150-page patient education book
- Marketing kit with tools for attracting/retaining dry eye patients (plus referring clinicians)
- USB drive with ready-to-use implementation resources
And those last two components?
That dry eye-based product backpack is equipped with products worth over $5,000, including:
- Those filled with test-ready treatments and supplies for patient care
- Voucher cards (totaling thousands of dollars) in exclusive, ongoing discounts for devices and products
And the COPE-accredited CE credits consist of:
- Up to 17 hours available via DEI On Demand
- Up to 18 hours available via DEI’s live event
That’s a whole lot of content … now tell me about this new On Demand offering.
This online platform is designed with flexibility in mind for ECPs, enabling participants to complete the DEI course on their own time and at their own pace.
Per DEI, this digital format provides ECPs with:
- Comprehensive modules on “every aspect” of dry eye care
- Chapter quizzes to “reinforce learning and ensure mastery”
- Printable CE certificate following course completion
- Note: Participants must take a quiz and pass before receiving certification
- Shippable resources available from DEI’s live event
Click here to learn more about accessing this.
Nice! Next: Circle back to that hybrid program you mentioned earlier.
DEI’s first-ever hybrid program is scheduled for Jan. 31, 2025, at The Oasis in Death Valley in Death Valley, California—kicking off right before GRT Summit 2025.
With both online learning and immersive in-person options, the two-day curriculum event will provide participants with:
- Immediate access to DEI’s On Demand online platform (accessible ahead of the hybrid event)
- 8 hours of in-person training during the live event
- 8 hours of live CE credits plus online credits
- Opportunity for practical, hands-on learning
- Ability to network with dry eye-specialized ECP community
- Gain clinical expertise from dry eye experts (including Dr. Brimer)
- Automatic attendance for GRT Summit 2025 immediately following the event
- To clarify: Tuition is covered if registered through DEI.
This sounds like a great opportunity … so how can I sign up?
For either virtual or in-person attendance, click here for all the details.
Lastly, what if I can’t make it to this event?
If you’re hoping to attend a live session, not to worry! DEI is planning to host bimonthly in-person training events in Wilmington, North Carolina, later this year—starting with:
- March 27-28
- May 22-23
- July 10-11
- Aug. 28-29
- Oct. 23-24
Editor's note: This story was updated on Jan. 9, 2025.