In a first round of trials, it appears that a new testing kit for dry eye syndrome, which can be administered by contact lens opticians has been a success, a move which is hoped will be able to decrease the amount of time that a patient is physically present in the opticians chair.
Dry eye syndrome, or by its technical name keratoconjunctivitis sicca, is an eye disease caused by the eyes becoming dry. This dryness occurs through a decrease in tear production or an increase in tear film evaporation. Although the condition is widely attributed to humans, it can also be found in animals. Typical symptoms of the eye condition include a burning sensation, a physical feeling of dryness and an irritation similar to getting sand in your eye. The damage caused by the condition leads to further discomfort and light sensitivity. When a sufferer has this condition, they usually have the issue in both eyes at the same time.
The new testing kit, on which contact lens opticians have been fully trained, allows a quick and efficient diagnosis of the condition as well as effective treatment for the form that the patient has. Following on from these successful trials, the project is to continue through 2012. In normal circumstances, people that complain of itchy or burning eyes are asked to follow the standard protocol of answering a number of questions before recommended eye drops are administered, in part due to time constraints. This new kit enables contact lens opticians to quickly check for dry eye without the need for long winded and time consuming checks. This process not only saves time but ultimately gives a much more accurate diagnosis for any sufferers with treatment options able to follow immediately.