---

HOME -- CME PROJECTS --CE PROJECTS ---ADVISORY BOARD-- POLICIES & PROCEDURES --- EDUCATION PARTNERS--- EYECARE EDUCATORS--

---

Back to Index Dry Eye Disease in an Optometric Practice Dry eye disease is a highly prevalent condition. Depending on how it is defined, the dry eye population in the US is at least 40 million. More than two-thirds of the nation’s eye exams are performed by optometrists. TAKE EXAM While dry eye is highly prevalent, it is also underdiagnosed. Optometrists need the tools to identify and resolve this issue for their patients. Despite increasing awareness of the prevalence of dry eye disease, many optometrists miss opportunities to offer their patients effective treatment for this condition. Studies have identified the following barriers to dry eye management within an optometric practice: A lack of familiarity with practical screening and diagnostic methodologies; Inability to readily identify patients who do not declare themselves symptomatic; Lack of time to perform the required testing in a patient visit, the primary purpose of which is a condition other than dry eye disease; and Lack of understanding of the practice value of providing medical therapy for dry eye patients. Recent research indicates that treating dry eye early, in its mild to moderate stages, can positively benefit patients with dry eye disease by preventing progression to more serious and more debilitating illness. Optometrists who screen for, diagnose, and treat dry eye disease in its early stages will provide a valuable service to patients and enhance practice rewards. Learning Objectives: Use clinical tools to diagnose dry eye disease Use recent findings on the efficacy of early diagnosis and therapy in dry eye disease to demonstrate how managing this condition will improve the quality of patients’ lives; Integrate dry eye disease diagnosis and management into the practice without interfering with other practice functions; Understand which patients are most at risk for dry eye disease and offer treatment guidelines based on current research; and Enter the world of primary eyecare through the treatment of dry eye disease. Faculty: Douglas K. Devries, OD; Paul M. Karpecki, OD, FAAO View Faculty Bios