Dry eye clinical practice patterns of UK optometrists

If you are a busy clinician in a high street practice, surely you see lots of patients with dry eye symptoms every week, if not everyday. In recent years, patients presenting with symptoms of dry eye appear to be an everyday occurrence for most eye care professionals (ECPs).

Increasing prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) is known to pose a significant economic burden, both in time and resources.¹ Due to its multifactorial nature and the poor correlation between signs and symptoms, accurate diagnosis and management can prove challenging,² particularly in a busy high street practice.

ECPs have been reported to express thoughts of ‘frustration’ and ‘dread’ in the context of a disease with a perceived ‘time-consuming’ nature with ‘limited therapeutic options’.³