title: Symptoms of ocular irritation in patients diagnosed with dry eye.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: College of Optometry, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA. knichols@optometry.ohio-state.edu
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Begley
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caffery
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions