Prevalence of Dry-Eye Disease in Canada Population-Based Survey

Prevalence of Dry-Eye Disease in Canada: Population-Based Survey

2018

Author: Clara C. Chan, MD, FRCSC

Contributors: Barbara Caffery, Sruthi Srinivasan, Aren Fischer, David Cappadocia, Csaba Siffel, Christopher Reaume

Purpose:

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common ocular surface disorder that may reduce health- and vision-related quality of life. It is characterized by ocular surface damage and symptoms of ocular discomfort and visual disturbance. This population-based survey was undertaken to determine the current prevalence of DED in Canada.

Methods:

Patients with DED were identified using the clinically validated 5-Item Dry Eye Questionnaire (DEQ-5). The DEQ-5 was fielded (March–April, 2017) to patients in the QuintilesIMS E360 database (sources de-identified patient data from the Appletree Medical Group located in Ontario). Inclusion criteria were: age ≥18 years (y); ≥2 visits to an Appletree clinic, with ≥1 visit in the 1 y before the study; database record with linked email. Those with DEQ-5 score >6/22 were classed as having DED. Crude prevalence estimates were age/sex adjusted using the direct method to the 2016 Canadian population. Significance of DED risk factors was determined by logistic regression analysis.

Results:

A total of 124,469 patients received the survey, 5163 (4.2%) responded: 3071 (59.5%) were female, median age 46 y; 2088 (40.4%) were male, median age 56 y. Of the respondents, 1135 were identified as having DED, yielding a crude prevalence estimate of 22.0% (95% CI, 20.8–23.1%). Prevalence was highest in the 55–64 y age group (24.7%; 95% CI, 22.1–27.3%) and lowest in the 25–34 y group (18.4%; 95% CI, 15.9–21.0%). A national DED prevalence estimate of 21.3% (95% CI 19.8%–23.2%) was extrapolated after age/sex adjusting to the 2016 Canadian population. Patients with DED were significantly older than those without DED (P<0.05), and="" significantly="" more="" likely="" to="" be="" female=""><0.001).>

Conclusions:

We estimate that DED affects >21% of adults in Canada, with older people and females more likely to be affected. The data should be interpreted within the limitations of the methodology and potential biases of the survey. Our data provide a current estimate of the scale of DED in Canada and highlight the importance of maintaining awareness of DED.