Symptoms of ocular irritation in patients diagnosed with dry eye.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to develop a pilot survey to evaluate ocular irritation symptom frequency, severity, and impact on daily activity in patients previously diagnosed with dry eye.


METHODS
Forty-five patients previously diagnosed with dry eye (ICD-9 code 375.15) completed the 17-item symptom survey. Analog-scale response questions concerning the frequency, severity, and effect on daily activity were asked for the following symptoms: dryness, scratchiness and soreness, burning and stinging, light sensitivity, blurry vision, and ocular itching.


RESULTS
Dryness and soreness were the most frequently reported symptoms of ocular irritation. Although the occurrence of symptoms of ocular irritation was reported as frequent by patients diagnosed with dry eye, the symptoms had minimal to moderate impact on daily activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Patient expression of the symptoms of dryness and soreness at more frequent and/or more severe levels may lend more validity to a diagnosis of dry eye.
Nichols
K K
KK
College of Optometry, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA. knichols@optometry.ohio-state.edu
Begley
C G
CG
Caffery
B
B
Jones
L A
LA
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology
D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions