Efficacy of Dry Eye Disease Treatment based on the 2007 Report of the International Dry Eye WorkShop (DEWS)

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica (Oxford, England) Vol. 93; no. S255
• Main Authors: Utheim, O., Ræder, S., Utheim, T.P., Eidet, J.R., Badian, R., Stojanovic, A., Chen, X.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.10.2015
• Subjects: Ophthalmology
• ISSN: 1755-375X; 1755-3768
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2015.1685

Purpose To assess the effect of dry eye disease (DED) treatment according to the guidelines reported by the International Dry Eye WorkShop (DEWS) in 2007. Methods Dry eye disease patients with or without meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), treated at the Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic, with at least 6 months follow‐up time were consecutively included in the study. The choice of treatment for DED was based on the dry eye severity level (DESL), according to the 2007 Report of the International Dry Eye WorkShop (DEWS). The values of tear film break‐up time (TBUT), Schirmer I test, ocular surface staining (Oxford scale), and dry eye severity level (DESL) on the right eye at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after the treatment were compared with those prior to treatment. Results A total of 237 eyes were included. At 6 months follow‐up, TBUT increased from 5.07 ± 3.63s to 8.54 ± 5.12s (p < 0.001); Schirmer I test did not show significant change; ocular surface staining decreased from 1.64 ± 2.13 to 0.76 ± 1.20; and DESL decreased from 2.08 ± 0.47 to 1.72 ± 0.54 (p < 0.001). The improvement of TBUT, ocular surface staining, and DESL remained significant at 24 months follow‐up. Conclusions Treatment based on the 2007 Report of the International Dry Eye WorkShop (DEWS) was effective in a Norwegian cohort of DED patients with significant improvement in key parameters for assessing DED.