Abstract
Purpose :
Ocular surface diseases are prevalent across almost all eye care practices. The more well-known examples, like dry eye syndrome, blepharitis, and allergies, affect millions of patients throughout the world. However, despite their ubiquity, they are often underdiagnosed and insufficiently treated. Several techniques can be used for the diagnosis of dry eye syndrome such as ocular signs and symptoms, staining patterns, and other tests. The purpose of this study is to properly understand the prevalence of certain ocular surface diseases that are often overlooked in the Asian American population and measures that can be taken to properly diagnose and treat.
Methods :
This study was conducted at EyeCare Consultants of New Jersey’s two locations, which are very busy offices with a significant preponderance of Asian American patients. Eye care professionals participated in a retrospective poll study. The study included a chart analysis of an Asian American population ranging from 20-88 years of age who suffer from ocular surface diseases. Proper health concerns were taken into consideration along with any comorbid diseases that could impact the results.
Results :
Asian Americans were disproportionately impacted by ocular surface diseases compared to those of other ethnicities. Individuals with such conditions experienced symptoms ranging from redness, intermittent blurry vision, foreign body sensation, and itching, which can greatly affect the quality of vision and quality of life.
Conclusions :
(1) Ocular surface diseases often go unnoticed in the Asian American population or are not properly treated due to the patients’ lack of complaining or if gone undocumented by the physician; it is often the case that a patient had these symptoms for years and only sought treatment once the symptoms were severe or they had recently obtained insurance coverage. (2) Various factors, including environmental conditions and systemic conditions, can exacerbate the symptoms. These findings are crucial for patient education on preventative measures as well for improving knowledge and ascertaining diagnosis of various conditions.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.