Clinical Scorecard: Study Provides Real-World Evidence for Inflammatory Dry Eye Disease (DED)
At a Glance
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Condition | Inflammatory Dry Eye Disease (DED) |
| Key Mechanisms | Inflammation contributing to ocular surface disease with evaporative and aqueous-deficient components |
| Target Population | Adults over 18 years diagnosed with DED initiating lifitegrast therapy |
| Care Setting | Outpatient eyecare settings including optometry and ophthalmology subspecialties |
Key Highlights
- Large real-world cohort of 143,005 patients with DED initiating lifitegrast therapy from 2017-2024
- Predominantly female (80%) and diverse population with broad geographic and insurance representation
- Diagnostic testing for DED (tear breakup time, Schirmer test) is severely underutilized in clinical practice
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
- Use of tear breakup time and Schirmer testing to identify evaporative and aqueous-deficient dry eye
- Comprehensive ocular and systemic comorbidity assessment in patients with DED
Management
- Initiation of lifitegrast ophthalmic solution 5% as an anti-inflammatory therapy for DED
- Consideration of earlier intervention given many patients are untreated prior to starting prescription therapy
Monitoring & Follow-up
- Regular follow-up to assess treatment response and ocular surface status
- Monitoring for comorbid ocular conditions such as cataract and systemic diseases like hypertension and diabetes
Risks
- Underdiagnosis due to limited use of diagnostic tests may delay appropriate treatment
- Comorbid systemic conditions may complicate DED management
Patient & Prescribing Data
Adults diagnosed with DED, mean age 61 years, predominantly female (80%), racially and ethnically diverse
Most patients had not received prior prescription dry eye therapy before starting lifitegrast; wide clinical participation with 44% prescriptions from optometrists and 56% from various ophthalmology subspecialties
Clinical Best Practices
- Increase utilization of diagnostic tests such as tear breakup time and Schirmer test to better target DED treatment
- Early identification and treatment of DED to address large untreated patient population
- Comprehensive evaluation of ocular and systemic comorbidities to optimize management
- Engage multidisciplinary eyecare providers to ensure broad access to DED therapies
References
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