Impact of Dry Eye Disease on Work Productivity, and Patients' Satisfaction With Over-the-Counter Dry Eye Treatments.
To assess the effect of dry eye disease on work productivity and performance of non-work-related activities, and patients' satisfaction with over-the-counter (OTC) dry eye treatments.



In this prospective, noninterventional, cross-sectional study, conducted at 10 U.S. optometry/ophthalmology practices, 158 symptomatic dry eye patients naïve to prescription medication underwent standard dry eye diagnostic tests and completed Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaires. Use of OTC dry eye medication, and satisfaction with OTC medication and symptom relief were also assessed.



On average, dry eye resulted in loss of 0.36% of work time (∼5 minutes over 7 days) and ∼30% impairment of workplace performance (presenteeism), work productivity, and non-job-related activities. Presenteeism and productivity impairment scores showed significant correlation with OSDI total (r = 0.55) and symptom domain (r = 0.50) scores, but not with dry eye clinical signs. Activity impairment score showed stronger correlation with OSDI total (r = 0.61) and symptom domain (r = 0.53) scores than with clinical signs (r ≤ 0.20). Almost 75% of patients used OTC dry eye medication. Levels of patient satisfaction with OTC medication (64.2%) and symptom relief from OTC (37.3%) were unaffected by administration frequency (≥3 vs. ≤2 times daily).



Dry eye causes negligible absenteeism, but markedly reduces workplace and non-job-related performances. Impairment of work performance is more closely linked to dry eye symptoms than to clinical signs. Patients' perceptions of OTC dry eye medication tend to be more positive than their perceptions of symptom relief.
School of Optometry University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States.
Kelly K
KK
Nichols
North Bay Eye Associates, Petaluma, California, United States.
Jason
J
Bacharach
Cincinnati Eye Institute, Edgewood, Kentucky, United States.
Edward
E
Holland
Hazleton Eye Specialists, Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, United States.
Thomas
T
Kislan
Lee Shettle Eye & Hearing, Largo, Florida, United States.
Lee
L
Shettle
Xcenda, Palm Harbor, Florida, United States.
Orsolya
O
Lunacsek
Xcenda, Palm Harbor, Florida, United States.
Barb
B
Lennert
Health Outcomes Consultant, Laguna Beach, California, United States.
Caroline
C
Burk
Allergan Plc, Irvine, California, United States.
Vaishali
V
Patel
D000041:Absenteeism; D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004526:Efficiency; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D000069597:Presenteeism / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs