As technicians, we are the glue that holds the clinic together. We are the link between the patient and the doctor—and sometimes, we spend more time with eyecare patients than anybody else.
The time we spend building rapport and getting to know our patients can be an opportunity to play a bigger part in their care, aside from simply doing tests and jotting down results.
An educated dry eye patient is a more compliant patient
Among the general population, there is still little awareness about dry eye disease (DED) and the impact it can have on a patient’s ocular health, quality of life, and even surgical outcomes. A patient who understands their disease process, is well informed on the recommended treatment options, and grasps how this will help their symptoms is more likely to be compliant and achieve the treatment goals set by the physician.1
DED is a chronic and multifactorial condition; it can worsen if left untreated, causing permanent damage to the ocular surface if severe enough.2 On the patient’s side, compliance with recommended treatments and awareness of signs and symptoms are both key to the successful management of DED.
The more information we make available to our patients, the more empowered and reassured they will be about making educated choices about their care.
Patient education: DED 101
As a technician, you are a vault of information for your patients! You can help educate on a wide variety of topics—from basic ocular anatomy to available treatments to managing potential side effects of certain ophthalmic medications.
Ophthalmic technicians can also provide invaluable tips on the resources available for patients, such as coupons and patient assistance programs. The knowledge you have gathered during your training and from working side-by-side with your doctors can make a huge difference in how a patient understands their condition and how to better manage it.
As an ophthalmic professional, it may seem like basic knowledge that tears are more than just a watery substance our eyes produce when we cry, sneeze, yawn, or laugh too hard and that they play an important role in our vision, comfort, and ocular surface health. We understand that tears evaporate and are replenished when we blink.
We know three different layers comprise the tear film, how these layers are arranged on the ocular surface, and what each of those layers is responsible for. We are aware that most DED is evaporative and not just a lack of tears. We have witnessed watery eyes as a symptom of DED, as counterintuitive as it sounds.2
Having this information at our fingertips is a privilege, and most patients are not cognizant of any of it. As we move through a patient's DED consult and the testing requested by the physician, we can share some of that knowledge, and the pieces will start to fall in place for patients.
So much information, so little time
There’s only so much patient education that the physician can fit in during the examination portion of the visit, and we often rely on patient handouts to fill in the blanks. Handouts can outline each disease, explain treatment options, offer detailed instructions on recommended therapies, and provide online resources for patients who want more information.
Undeniably, this can be important and useful, but by sharing some of our knowledge ahead of time and covering the basics, we can both save the doctor time and arm the patient with enough information to ask the important questions during their exam.
Example: Blinking Dynamics
One of my favorite patient interactions, to this day, remains the Blinking Dynamics test on the LipiView by TearScience. I will never cease to be delighted by the moment the patient is able to visualize how their blinking rate decreases during the test and, in turn, comprehend how their blink rate relates to visually tasking, daily activities, such as working on a computer, playing video games, reading, or binge-watching their favorite show.
The pieces begin to click, and the patient understands how the normal blinking rate goes down during extended periods of time and how that can have a direct impact on their symptoms; this can be very rewarding as a technician.
Patient education does not end with the exam
After the physician has completed their examination, noted their findings, and made the treatment recommendations, it is the technician’s time to shine. Whether the recommendations are a prescription topical therapy, an in-office procedure, an over-the-counter (OTC) regimen, or a combination of two or more of these, you can be sure the patient will have a million questions—and we will likely have the answers or know how to find them.
Remember, there are many opportunities to further a patient’s education about:
- DED disease process
- Treatment-associated costs
- Coverage
- Financing
- Potential side effects and how to manage them
- Treatment options
- Instructions on recommended therapies
- Follow up recommendations
- Online resources
A compliant patient is a happy patient
At the end of their visit, we want every DED patient to leave armed with all the tools necessary for the successful treatment and management of DED symptoms. Understanding their disease process, what is happening, and how it’s happening can be empowering and is likely to encourage them to play an active role in taking control of their DED journey.
Long after the patient has left the office, the patient education opportunities continue. As technicians, we are at the frontline of these post-encounter communications, whether via callbacks, email, or our various electronic health record (EHR) messaging systems; these are all chances to continue on our quest to improve DED awareness and treatment compliance in our patients.
