Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns of Ophthalmologists in the Philippines on the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye Disease

Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practice patterns of ophthalmologists practicing in the Philippines on the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease through a survey using an online questionnaire. Methods: A simple online survey was designed to determine the knowledge of o...

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Main Authors: Margarita I. Echavez, MD, Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology 2019-12-01
Series:Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology
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Online Access:https://paojournal.com/index.php/pjo/article/view/131
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author Margarita I. Echavez, MD
Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD
author_facet Margarita I. Echavez, MD
Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD
author_sort Margarita I. Echavez, MD
collection DOAJ
description Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practice patterns of ophthalmologists practicing in the Philippines on the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease through a survey using an online questionnaire. Methods: A simple online survey was designed to determine the knowledge of ophthalmologists practicing in the Philippines on the definition, symptoms, diagnostics, as well as their management of dry eye disease. Respondents also provided information regarding setting and characteristic of practice, years of practice, field of practice, and number of new dry eye patients weekly. Results: A total of 148 ophthalmologists responded to the survey with a 16% response rate. Most believed dry eye disease was associated with symptoms of ocular discomfort (99%), tear deficiency (98%), and tear film instability (97%). Symptoms believed to be associated with dry eye were dryness (97%), burning sensation (94%), foreign body sensation (93%), and discomfort/pain (93%). Most ophthalmologists diagnosed dry eye based on patient symptoms (99%), tear break-up time (93%), and fluorescein staining (91%). Very few tested for tear osmolarity to diagnose dry eye (6%). Only few used dry eye questionnaires (27%) and lissamine staining (32%). The most valuable tests included tear break-up time (92%), fluorescein staining (88%), Schirmer test (85%), and meibomian gland evaluation (83%). Treatments most commonly used were artificial tear supplements (100%), lid hygiene (94%), environmental modification (92%), and work and lifestyle modification (88%). Artificial tear supplements were the most valuable treatment (100%), followed by lid hygiene (89%) then environmental modification (85%). The most common first-line medications were carboxymethylcellulose (89%), propylene glycol (85%), and hypromellose (83%). Very few ophthalmologists classified dry eye by type (19%) and by severity (35%), but 80% tailored their treatment to the severity of the dry eye. Conclusion: Dry eye disease is a common yet frequently underrecognized clinical condition whose etiology and management challenge clinicians and researchers alike. This study showed that ophthalmologists practicing in the Philippines who answered the survey lacked awareness on the new definition of dry eye disease, the newer diagnostic tests, and therapeutics available for diagnosing and managing dry eye disease.
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spelling doaj-art-ab029ac60f5b4418a53ea5dafe4bf8f72025-08-20T02:04:49ZengPhilippine Academy of OphthalmologyPhilippine Journal of Ophthalmology0031-76592019-12-014426874131Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns of Ophthalmologists in the Philippines on the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye DiseaseMargarita I. Echavez, MD0Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital Manila, Philippines; Adventist Medical Center-Iligan Eye Center Andres Bonifacio Avenue, San Miguel, Iligan City 9200, PhilippinesDepartment of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital Manila, Philippines; Eye Institute, St Luke’s Medical Center 279 E. Rodriguez Sr. Blvd., Quezon City 1102, PhilippinesObjective: To determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practice patterns of ophthalmologists practicing in the Philippines on the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease through a survey using an online questionnaire. Methods: A simple online survey was designed to determine the knowledge of ophthalmologists practicing in the Philippines on the definition, symptoms, diagnostics, as well as their management of dry eye disease. Respondents also provided information regarding setting and characteristic of practice, years of practice, field of practice, and number of new dry eye patients weekly. Results: A total of 148 ophthalmologists responded to the survey with a 16% response rate. Most believed dry eye disease was associated with symptoms of ocular discomfort (99%), tear deficiency (98%), and tear film instability (97%). Symptoms believed to be associated with dry eye were dryness (97%), burning sensation (94%), foreign body sensation (93%), and discomfort/pain (93%). Most ophthalmologists diagnosed dry eye based on patient symptoms (99%), tear break-up time (93%), and fluorescein staining (91%). Very few tested for tear osmolarity to diagnose dry eye (6%). Only few used dry eye questionnaires (27%) and lissamine staining (32%). The most valuable tests included tear break-up time (92%), fluorescein staining (88%), Schirmer test (85%), and meibomian gland evaluation (83%). Treatments most commonly used were artificial tear supplements (100%), lid hygiene (94%), environmental modification (92%), and work and lifestyle modification (88%). Artificial tear supplements were the most valuable treatment (100%), followed by lid hygiene (89%) then environmental modification (85%). The most common first-line medications were carboxymethylcellulose (89%), propylene glycol (85%), and hypromellose (83%). Very few ophthalmologists classified dry eye by type (19%) and by severity (35%), but 80% tailored their treatment to the severity of the dry eye. Conclusion: Dry eye disease is a common yet frequently underrecognized clinical condition whose etiology and management challenge clinicians and researchers alike. This study showed that ophthalmologists practicing in the Philippines who answered the survey lacked awareness on the new definition of dry eye disease, the newer diagnostic tests, and therapeutics available for diagnosing and managing dry eye disease.https://paojournal.com/index.php/pjo/article/view/131dry eye diseasesurveyknowledgeattitudespractice patternsphilippinesophthalmologists
spellingShingle Margarita I. Echavez, MD
Ruben Lim Bon Siong, MD
Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns of Ophthalmologists in the Philippines on the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye Disease
Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology
dry eye disease
survey
knowledge
attitudes
practice patterns
philippines
ophthalmologists
title Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns of Ophthalmologists in the Philippines on the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye Disease
title_full Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns of Ophthalmologists in the Philippines on the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye Disease
title_fullStr Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns of Ophthalmologists in the Philippines on the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye Disease
title_full_unstemmed Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns of Ophthalmologists in the Philippines on the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye Disease
title_short Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Patterns of Ophthalmologists in the Philippines on the Diagnosis and Management of Dry Eye Disease
title_sort survey on the knowledge attitudes and practice patterns of ophthalmologists in the philippines on the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease
topic dry eye disease
survey
knowledge
attitudes
practice patterns
philippines
ophthalmologists
url https://paojournal.com/index.php/pjo/article/view/131
work_keys_str_mv AT margaritaiechavezmd surveyontheknowledgeattitudesandpracticepatternsofophthalmologistsinthephilippinesonthediagnosisandmanagementofdryeyedisease
AT rubenlimbonsiongmd surveyontheknowledgeattitudesandpracticepatternsofophthalmologistsinthephilippinesonthediagnosisandmanagementofdryeyedisease