Attitude of eye care practitioners towards diagnostic tests and therapies for dry eye disease

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provides an outline of the analysis, treatment and information attitudes on dry eye disease among eye care professionals (optometrists and ophthalmologists)

METHOD: Total 74 respondents from Mayo Hospital Lahore and Shifa Eye Trust Islamabad were included in the study. Data was collected by non-probability purposive sampling method in a self-made performa. It was descriptive cross sectional study. A Performa was distributed among Eye OPD Mayo hospital and Shifa Eye Trust to assess the responses of eye care providers towards diagnostic test and treatments for dry eye disease.

RESULTS: The responses of 74 participants, that tear breakup time 79.4% was the most common used test for treatment of dry eye disease and 64.9% of eye professionals believed that the first-line treatment for dry eye was aqueous based artificial tears The most common symptoms were foreign body sensation agreed by 67.6% of the eye specialists. 52.7% of eye care specialists assumed that meibomium gland dysfunction was the major cause of dry eye disease. 37.8% of practitioners responded that allergies and smoking were common co-morbid condition for DED.

CONCLUSION: Most common test used to diagnose DED was tear break-up time and Schirmer test with anesthesia was the least common test used, (45.9%) of the eye professionals had chosen patient history as the main test to gauge therapeutic effect. An aqueous based artificial tear was their preferred treatment (64.9%) for DED.

KEY WORDS: Dry eyes, Eye care providers, Diagnostic criteria, Therapeutic effect