Recent progress on Modeling the Human Tear Film

We report on recent results in from our modeling efforts to better understand the dynamics of the human tear film. Lubrication theory is used to reduce the problem to a nonlinear one-dimensional partial differential equations governing the tear film thickness. The curvature variation of the (ellipsoidal) cornea is studied in a model problem that illustrates the influence of this aspect of the eye. Other progress will be discussed as available, including a shear thinning fluid to model tears.