Published in Ocular Surface

The 2021 Dry Eye Report

This is editorially independent content
7 min read

We surveyed 1,000+ eyecare professionals on their approaches to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of Dry Eye Disease. The result is the largest dry eye report ever publicly released! Download your free copy now.

The 2021 Dry Eye Report

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Dry eyes are on the rise—and optometrists and other eyecare professionals must be prepared to treat this common condition. According to the latest estimates, one in four patients visit eyecare facilities complaining of dry eye symptoms. Along with lid disease, two of the main factors leading to the increase of Dry Eye Disease are aging and extended screen time, both of which will only continue to surge.
The increasing prevalence of this unfortunate condition prompted the Eyes On Eyecare team to survey 1,022 eyecare professionals (including 757 practicing optometrists) in February of 2021. We wanted to assess their approaches to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of dry eye in order to help clinicians better manage this condition and ultimately provide relief to their patients. The result is the 2021 Dry Eye Report, which is the largest report on Dry Eye Disease ever publicly released. As with all Eyes On Eyecare reports, this data is absolutely free for anyone to download, based on our belief that empowering ECPs with data will ultimately help them diagnose and treat more patients.

Download the 2021 Dry Eye Report now or keep reading for a sneak peek at the findings!

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Download the 2021 Dry Eye Report

Get access to the full report with over 20 pages of data!

The 2021 Dry Eye Report covers:

  • Average confidence in treating dry eye: How comfortable are eyecare physicians in treating this increasingly prevalent condition?
  • Dry eye education: What kind of education have optometrists received regarding Dry Eye Disease? What kind of education do they feel would be most beneficial to grow their confidence in diagnosis, treatment, and management?
  • Screening and diagnosis: How many ODs utilize validated dry eye questionnaires in their patient intake? How do ODs identify Dry Eye Disease patients?
  • Treatment and management of eye dryness and Dry Eye Disease: How do ODs classify their approach to Dry Eye Disease management in practice? What are their go-to treatments for each type of dry eye? Are ODs looking to expand their lines of service?
  • Practice services: How many optometrists are expanding or thinking of expanding their dry eye services? What is the financial impact of adding dry eye services to your practice?
  • Analysis and actionable advice from three dry eye specialists: Damon Dierker, OD, FAAO; Hardeep Kataria, OD, FAAO; and Ahmad Fahmy, OD, FAAO, Dipl. ABO contributed commentary and insights to this report.
  • And more!

ODs want more education on dry eye diagnostics

Though many ODs felt reasonably confident in the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye, many survey participants felt their education in the diagnostic arena was lacking. On a scale from 1 to 10, respondents averaged only 6.26 on their assessment of receiving education in optometry school on utilizing specific diagnostic equipment to treat Dry Eye Disease.

Surprisingly, however, most respondents rated their confidence level in treating Dry Eye Disease 6/10 (on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the most confident level). Furthermore, 71% of the respondents are either interested in expanding their scope of services in the realm of DED or are open to receiving more education.

  • Hardeep Kataria, OD, FAAO
Respondents varied on the type of education they felt would be most helpful, with some preferring case-based lectures while others would opt for open discussion of best practices. A third group felt virtual lectures and workshops were ideal.

Successful Dry Eye Disease treatment starts with screening

Doctors reported that although they believe well over half of their patients had some level of Dry Eye Disease, only 64% of patients in their practices were screened.
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While doctors felt that about 60% of their patients had some degree of DED, only two-thirds of patients were estimated to be screened. The take-away for me is if we acknowledge that DED is so common, why don’t we screen everyone? What is the most efficient way to do this?

  • Damon Dierker, OD, FAAO
Respondents reported the use of patient-reported symptoms and slit lamp examination as their primary screening tools. Many feel the evaluation of meibomian gland function is also integral, with 85% in agreement with the statement that screening for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) should be part of a comprehensive eye examination. However, only 27.8% incorporate validated dry eye questionnaires, like SPEED or OSDI, into case history or patient intake forms, despite their effectiveness in achieving a more accurate assessment.2
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To see how your screening compares, download the free report now!

Dry eye treatment trends and traditions

Survey respondents named artificial tears for patients with aqueous deficient dry eye and compresses, lid scrubs, and other at-home OTC therapies for those with MGD as their top treatments for Dry Eye Disease. Survey results indicate that many doctors are not comfortable recommending prescription medications or performing in-office procedures, such as thermal pulsation and intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy.
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According to Dr. Dierker, “It’s fantastic to see that 84.7% of our respondents understand the importance of identifying MGD as a part of every comprehensive exam. But only 5.8% of our colleagues offer in-office OSD treatments as a go-to treatment. I don’t think home warm compresses and eyelid massage alone are an effective obstructive MGD treatment for the majority of the folks we see daily with this disease.”

Dry eye outcomes and opportunities

As with any disease, the ultimate goal is improving patient outcomes and quality of life. This is especially significant when it comes to Dry Eye Disease, as the constant discomfort it brings can take a toll and have a considerable psychological effect on sufferers. With optometrists being on the forefront of managing Dry Eye Disease, which affects approximately 9 million people a year, developing a dry eye practice offers an incredible opportunity.

Learn more about the state of dry eye treatment and management by downloading the free report!

References

  1. de Paiva, Cintia S. Effects of Aging in Dry Eye. Journals.lww.com. https://journals.lww.com/internat-ophthalmology/Fulltext /2017 /05720/Effects_of_Aging_in_Dry_Eye.5.aspx. Published April 1, 2018.
  2. Yuichi Okumura, Takenori Inomata, Nanami Iwata, Jaemyoung Sung, Keiichi Fujimoto, Kenta Fujio, Akie Midorikawa-Inomata, Maria Miura, Yasutsugu Akasaki, Akira Murakami. A Review of Dry Eye Questionnaires: Measuring Patient-Reported Outcomes and Health-Related Quality of Life. NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7459853/. Published May 26, 2020. Assessed August 3, 2020.
Eyes On Eyecare Editorial Team
About Eyes On Eyecare Editorial Team

Led by Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Gold, PhD, Eyes On Eyecare is a digital publication that provides clinical and career education to the young generation of optometrists and ophthalmologists. We work with eyecare professionals to create compelling, educational content available for free to all those in the eyecare industry. To learn more about our team, values, and other projects, visit our About page.

Eyes On Eyecare Editorial Team
Ahmad Fahmy, OD, FAAO, Dipl. ABO
About Ahmad Fahmy, OD, FAAO, Dipl. ABO

Dr. Ahmad Fahmy is the Director of Optometric Services at Minnesota Eye Consultants. He received his professional training and the Doctor of Optometry degree in 2001 from the Illinois College of Optometry, and completed residency training in the perioperative care of glaucoma, anterior segment pathology, and refractive surgery with Minnesota Eye Consultants, P.A. in 2004. He earned Fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry in 2004, and Diplomate designation in the American Board of Optometry in 2014. Dr. Fahmy is an Adjunct Faculty Assistant Professor of the Illinois College of Optometry, and Southern California College of Optometry.

Dr. Fahmy is a devoted advocate of an integrated eye care delivery model and serves as a member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery’s Integrated Practice Committee (IPC), as well as an editorial board peer reviewer for the journal Clinical Ophthalmology. He has been involved in the clinical care of disadvantaged populations and is devoted to continued involvement in the development of philanthropic eye care initiatives. He also remains committed to teaching and mentoring. He is actively involved in numerous clinical research trials and has a special interest in the ocular surface disease.

Ahmad Fahmy, OD, FAAO, Dipl. ABO
Hardeep Kataria, OD, FAAO
About Hardeep Kataria, OD, FAAO

Dr. Hardeep Kataria is originally from the United Kingdom. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and is a 2012 graduate from the New England College of Optometry. After completing her residency in Primary Care and Ocular Disease, she relocated to the sunny west coast of Los Angeles, California. She practices in a medical office primarily managing dry eye disease and medical glaucoma. She is passionate about using advanced diagnostic techniques to treat dry eye disease and glaucoma, and enjoys the challenge of complex cases. Outside of optometry, Dr Kataria enjoys weightlifting and enjoying the coastal weather of Southern California.

Hardeep Kataria, OD, FAAO
Damon Dierker, OD, FAAO
About Damon Dierker, OD, FAAO

Dr. Dierker is Director of Optometric Services at Eye Surgeons of Indiana, an adjunct faculty member at the Indiana University School of Optometry, and Immediate Past President of the Indiana Optometric Association. Dr. Dierker is the Co-Founder and Program Chair of Eyes On Dry Eye, the largest event for eyecare professionals in the industry. He has made significant contributions to raising awareness of dry eye and ocular surface disease in the eyecare community, including the development of Dry Eye Boot Camp and other content resources across dozens of publications.

Damon Dierker, OD, FAAO
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