Assessment and Management of Dry Eye Patients for Non-Ophthalmic Healthcare Practitioners

Dry eye is a very common condition in many parts of the world. Both ophthalmologists and other healthcare professionals, such as optometrists and general practitioners, are often involved in the care of these patients. The main thrust of dry eye management is over-the-counter tear lubricants. There...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Louis Tong MBBS, FRCS, PhD, Andrea Petznick Dipl-AO, PhD, Sze Yee Lee BSc(Hons)Optom, Jeremy Tan MBBS
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2012-03-01
Series:Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/201010581202100104
Description
Summary:Dry eye is a very common condition in many parts of the world. Both ophthalmologists and other healthcare professionals, such as optometrists and general practitioners, are often involved in the care of these patients. The main thrust of dry eye management is over-the-counter tear lubricants. There is a wide range of tear lubricants available today. These lubricants vary in viscosity, duration of action, type of preservatives, osmolarity/osmolality and pH. This article aims to educate healthcare professionals on 1) how to assess and manage patients with mild to moderate dry eyes and 2) how to identify patients who may need a referral to an ophthalmologist. Strategies on the use of available treatments and their limitations, as well as factors that may affect patient compliance will be discussed.
ISSN:2010-1058
2059-2329