Objective:
To evaluate the characteristics, treatment, and diagnostic practices for patients with dry eye disease (DED) using real-world data, focusing on those diagnosed on or after January 1, 2016.
Key Findings:
- Predominantly female population (80%) with a mean age of 61 years.
- Cataract was the most common ocular comorbidity; hyperlipidemia (45%) and hypertension (43%) were the most common nonocular comorbidities.
- Only 10% of patients had used other therapies prior to lifitegrast, indicating a large untreated population.
- Dry eye diagnostic testing was underutilized; only 3.9% had an abnormal tear breakup time.
- Racial distribution included approximately 55% White, 5% Black, 5% Asian, 9% other, and 25% unknown.
Interpretation:
The study reveals significant comorbidities in DED patients and highlights the underutilization of diagnostic testing, indicating a need for improved management strategies to address these gaps.
Limitations:
- The study may not fully represent all demographics due to the predominance of certain racial and ethnic groups, potentially affecting the generalizability of the findings.
- Data on diagnostic tests was incomplete, with a high percentage of unknown results.
Conclusion:
This real-world study underscores the need for better diagnostic practices and treatment strategies for DED patients.
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