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Dry Eye Disease (DED)

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common ocular disease that affects 5% to 17% of the United States population, with prevalence increasing with age. Studies have confirmed that DED adversely affects a person’s quality of life (QOL).

Specifically, DED symptoms can affect a person’s ability to read comfortably, concentrate, operate a computer, drive, or even perform basic work tasks. Moreover, the adverse effects on QOL typically become more pronounced with disease chronicity and symptom severity.

With the increasing recognition that DED symptoms diminish quality of life, multiple dry eye questionnaires have been developed to evaluate both dry eye symptoms and their effect on quality of life.

Clinical markers such as fluorescein staining, tear break-up time, and Schirmer testing have high inter-observer bias and lack standardization among eye care providers, correlate poorly with subjective symptoms and provide the rationale for dry eye patient reported outcomes.

Unfortunately, some questionnaires are time-consuming and difficult to score. These questionnaires may also have limitations being implemented in a busy clinical setting.

Read what the National Eye Institute notes on Dry Eye Disease

What Is DED? 

What are the causes of DED? 

How do eye doctors test for and diagnosis DED?

 

Learn more about FDA-approved LipiFlow®, a treatment for the leading cause of dry eye — Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).