The impact of dry eye disease treatment on patient satisfaction and quality of life: A review

Several aspects of the quality of life (QoL) and treatment satisfaction of patients with dry eye disease (DED) may be underestimated. Ocular symptoms, which are assessed by validated patient-reported questionnaires and may include stinging, burning, itchiness, grittiness, dryness and discomfort, reduce QoL by affecting daily activities and work productivity. Self-reported symptoms do not always correlate with post-treatment improvements in clinical measures such as tear film break-up time, inflammation and osmolarity. Thus, treatments may improve clinical ocular features without improving symptoms that affect daily life.