Tools for assessing the quality of life of patients with dry eye syndrome

Abstract

The negative influence of the dry eye syndrome on the quality of patients’ life is primarily determined by a decrease in visual performance. Quality of life in dry eye syndrome is a complex, multicomponent phenomenon that is influenced by a number of factors. The timely prescription of properly selected substitution therapy medications will help to improve the patients’ quality of life, which is one of the criteria of human health. Purpose – development of a questionnaire to analyze the quality of life of patients with dry eye syndrome. Methods of generalization, system-review and comparative analysis were used. While analyzing the existing questionnaires, whose main purpose is to assess the condition of patients with dry eye syndrome, we evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of certain questionnaires when it comes to determining the effectiveness of the prescribed therapy using the «quality of life» integrated indicator as well as instrumental research methods. A questionnaire was developed, which allows to identify the relationship between objective instrumental data, the influence of environmental factors, the severity of the dry eye syndrome symptoms, impact on daily activities and social life of the patients. The existing questionnaires that aim to determine the severity of symptoms of the dry eye syndrome are an indirect tool for assessing the quality of life, but do not allow to take into account the impact of dry eye syndrome on various areas of a patient's life. The created questionnaire makes it possible to take into account and conduct the dynamic analysis of not only the subjective feelings of the patient, but also to compare them with indicators describing the condition of tear film layers, which had been obtained as a result of an instrumental method of diagnostics using Lacrygiag. In addition, this weekly diary allows to determine the benefits of individualized pathogenically substantiated choice of substitution therapy medications for the treatment of patients with dry eye syndrome. Significant attention is paid to the presence of concomitant pathologies, as well as selected pharmacotherapy methods, as they significantly affect the course and outcome of substitution therapy for dry eye syndrome.