A study led by Professor James Wolffsohn from Aston University explored the patient-reported experience of DED in an international multi-centre survey1.
The project involved members of the Ocular Surface Laboratory at the University of Auckland, as well as researchers from Chung Shan Medical University (Taichung, Taiwan) and the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon (Monterrey, Mexico). The survey was distributed to members of the public and included questions on dry eye symptomology, health-seeking behaviours and previous experiences of self- and clinician-prescribed management.
Responses were obtained from 916 individuals, with a median age of 38 years. The median duration of dry eye symptoms ranged from two to four years at each of the individual centres, and less than half of all patients had consulted with a health professional. Just over half had trialled treatments for dry eye symptoms, with the most commonly used therapies being artificial tear supplements and warm compresses, both of which were rated by patients as moderately effective.
Overall, the results of this study suggest that a significant proportion of patients with dry eye symptoms are not consulting healthcare professionals. This could represent a missed opportunity for diagnostic and subclassification evaluation to tailor management and minimise the impact of the condition for affected individuals.
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