Eye dryness score is a useful single-item instrument to assess severity of dry eye symptoms: data from a UK patient survey

Session Details

Session Title: Medical Cornea & Biomechanics

Session Date/Time: Sunday 23/09/2018 | 08:00-10:00

Paper Time: 08:12

Venue: Room A3, Podium 3

First Author: : İ.Özer Stillman USA

Co Author(s): :    P. Hossain   J. Markowitz   J. Meunier   C. Joseph   C. Siffel   P. Marquis     

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common ocular surface condition that is known to have a significant impact on vision- and health-related quality of life of millions of people worldwide. To understand the burden of DED, we evaluated symptom severity among adults with DED in the UK (UK). Symptom severity was assessed by four different instruments and the usefulness of eye dryness score (EDS) as a single item to assess burden of symptom severity was investigated.

Setting:

This was a cross-sectional, web-based survey, carried out in the UK. Survey participants were individuals (aged ≥18 years) with self-reported diagnosis or symptoms of DED. After providing informed consent, 1002 eligible patients completed the DED survey.

Methods:

The survey included: EDS (visual analog scale; 0–100, 0=no discomfort, 100=maximal discomfort); ocular comfort index (OCI) and 5-item dry eye questionnaire (DEQ-5) that assess intensity and frequency of symptoms, and the standard patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED) that assesses frequency and severity of symptoms. Participants were classified by EDS into the following groups by increasing severity: EDS<40 (group 1), 40≤EDS<60 (group 2), and EDS≥60 (group 3). OCI (range 0–72), DEQ-5 (range 0–22) and SPEED (range 0–28) scores were calculated in the three groups. Higher scores indicate higher symptom severity.

Results:

Number of participants in the EDS groups was: group 1, n=534; group 2, n=218; group 3, n=250. OCI, DEQ-5 and SPEED scores were higher (worse symptoms) in groups with higher severity. OCI scores, mean±SD (range), by groups were: group 1, 24±13 (0–64); group 2, 34±12 (6–68); group 3, 40±12 (13–72). DEQ-5 scores were: group 1, 9±4 (0–22); group 2, 11±3 (4–19); group 3, 13±4 (5–22). SPEED scores were: group 1, 8±5 (0–23); group 2, 10±5 (0–23); group 3, 12±5 (0–26).

Conclusions:

Symptom severity on EDS was associated with symptom severity on other common symptom scores such as OCI, DEQ-5 and SPEED. The differences in scores between severity groups were greater than half a standard deviation of the score, a common distribution-based indicator of meaningfulness. Our data suggest that EDS is a useful single-item questionnaire to assess severity of dry eye symptoms in individuals with DED.

Financial Disclosure:

... has significant investment interest in a company producing, developing or supplying product or procedure presented, ... receives consulting fees, retainer, or contract payments from a competing company, ... receives consulting fees, retainer, or contract payments from a company producing, developing or supplying the product or procedure presented, ... is employed by a for-profit company with an interest in the subject of the presentation