Dry eye disease (DED) affects millions of people worldwide. There are a variety of new treatments beyond traditional
therapies such as preservative free
artificial tears. Here, we conduct a survey to identify the most common treatments used among specialists and assess their interest in newer
therapies.
METHODS: An international survey was distributed to
dry eye researchers and expert practitioners via an internet survey. The survey data collected were analyzed with descriptive statistics.
RESULTS: One hundred and fifteen respondents completed the survey; of these, 66 % were cornea specialists. The most commonly prescribed topical treatments included
cyclosporine A (CSA) 0.05 % (71/104, 68 %),
fluorometholone (
FML) 0.1 % (59/99, 60 %),
loteprednol etabonate 0.5 % (50/99, 51 %), and autologous serum
eye drops (ASD; 48/97, 49 %). The most commonly prescribed non-topical medications included essential
fatty acid supplements (72/104, 69 %), low-dose
doxycycline (oral; 61/100, 61 %), and flaxseed supplements (32/96, 33 %) as well as
punctal plugs (76/102, 75 %). Respondents reported treatment with topical
corticosteroids for 2 to 8 weeks (46/86, 53 %), followed by less than 2 weeks (24/86, 28 %) and with topical CSA between 2 to 8 weeks (45/85, 53 %) followed by 2 to 6 months (24/85, 28 %). The top three signs and symptoms reported to indicate treatment response were, in order,
fluorescein staining of the cornea, reduction in
foreign body sensation, and reduction in burning sensation.
CONCLUSION: This survey offers insight into current expert opinion in the treatment of DED. The results of this survey are hypothesis generating and will aid in the design of future clinical studies.