Patients are failing to consult pharmacists about common, yet distressing eye conditions, despite pharmacists having a comprehensive grasp of eye concerns, symptoms and treatment options.
Over one in three (77%) pharmacists estimate that less than 20% of their patients seek advice about eye health, despite 76% of ECPs reporting an increase in dry eye symptoms among patients 18 to 34 years old, relative to a decade ago^1^ and digital eye-strain rising amongst younger generations^2^.
The new survey conducted by Bausch + Lomb collected views from 88 pharmacists and revealed, astonishingly, that 98% of patients fail to recognise when they experience symptoms of dry eye. This is despite the fact that 88% of pharmacists believe it to be a distressing condition for patients.
Dry eye syndrome, is a common eye ailment in which the tear ducts do not produce enough tears or they evaporate too quickly. It can be caused by factors such as ageing, hormonal changes, the weather and as a side effect of some medicines. In rare cases, severe untreated dry eye syndrome can damage the surface of the cornea.
Reassuringly, over 70% of pharmacists would recognise the primary symptoms when presented by a patient, with 57% understanding how tears are produced and what causes dry eye, and 69% agreeing there is a need for a night and a day time management regime for dry eye.
Valerie Steiner, OTC Marketing Manager, Bausch + Lomb, said: “This survey shows that patients are failing to tap into the expertise and knowledge that pharmacists have in treating eye conditions like dry eye. This is concerning from a patient perspective as it could lead to unnecessary suffering. These uncomfortable and inconvenient symptoms can be easily managed with the right advice and treatment, but left untreated that can present a long-term risk to eye health.”
Bausch + Lomb has been a pioneer in eye care for over 165 years. It sells Artelac® Rebalance and Artelac® Nighttime Gel, a day and night treatment regime for people with persistent dry eye.
Artelac® Rebalance, designed for day use, can be used when experiencing recurrent dry, tired or irritated eyes, providing long lasting, sustained hydration and protection during the day.
For night protection, Artelac® Nighttime Gel, should be used just before bed. It contains a unique combination of ingredients, designed to seal in moisture overnight, when the symptoms of dry eye are worse^3^.
Artelac® Rebalance RRP £6.95 and Artelac® Nighttime Gel RRP £4.99 are available from independent pharmacies and opticians.
About Dry Eye
Dry eye syndrome, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is a term used to describe a variety of eye conditions in which there is either insufficient production of tears the eye, or excessive loss of tears from evaporation. These issues occur when there is a problem with the tear film that normally keeps eyes moisturised, which can cause damage to the eye surface. This leads to discomfort of the eye and a person may typically experience grittiness, eye heaviness and burning. These symptoms can be exasperated by environmental conditions such as air conditioning and use of computer screens, worsening throughout the day.
About the survey
88 pharmacists were polled by Precision Marketing on behalf of Bausch + Lomb in July 2017
1. Shire. Modern technology and a multi-screen lifestyle viewed as important factors in rising prevalence of dry eye disease. October 17, 2016. www.multivu.com/players/English/7893551-shire-dry-eye-disease-awareness/.
2. https://bmcophthalmol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12886-016-0364-4
3. http://discoveryeye.org/symptoms-of-dry-eye-disease/
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