DRY EYE ASSESSMENT IN JORDAN DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Objective: The study aims at assessing the dry eye profile in a cohort of the Jordanian population using an online questionnaire-based survey.

Main Outcomes and Measures: From March to May 2020, we conducted an online questionnaire-based survey to assess dry eye in the community of Al-Ahliyya Amman University for optometry students and their family members with dry eye who spent more time at home in front of digital devices due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire consisted of demographic profile along with questions based on: (a) Frequently occurring symptoms of dry eyes. (b) Frequency and severity questions. (c) Environmental triggers and medications used, and (d) The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI).

Main Outcomes and Measures: From March to May 2020, we conducted an online questionnaire-based survey to assess dry eye in the community of Al-Ahliyya Amman University for optometry students and their family members with dry eye who spent more time at home in front of digital devices due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire consisted of demographic profile along with questions based on: (a) Frequently occurring symptoms of dry eyes. (b) Frequency and severity questions. (c) Environmental triggers and medications used, and (d) The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI).

Results: Out of 200 online questionnaires, 185 responses were received. The mean age was 35.08 ±12.13 years (range. There were 89 (48.1%) men and 96 (51.9%) women. The male: female ratio was nearly 1:1. The mean OSDI in the population cohort was 11.69 ± 8.16. The mean scale of various dry eye symptoms ranged from 10.5 to 11 approximately. There was a significant gender difference regarding the frequency of dry eye (p= 0.005), where 58 (60.4%) of women had dry eye compared to 36 (40.4%) of men. There was no significant age difference regarding dry eye (p=0.295).

Conclusions and Relevance: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the dry eye disease escalated among the Jordanian population of optometry students and their families. This will impact the symptom profile, day to day performance, and also add to the burden of dry eye in society.