Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of dry eye disease (DED) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adult patients in France, using both disease-specific and generic patient-reported outcome measures. 
METHODS: A multicenter, cross-sectional observational study was conducted in five ophthalmology centers across France. Adult patients diagnosed with DED were recruited if they were newly diagnosed, untreated for at least one month, or dissatisfied with current treatment. HRQoL was assessed using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and the EQ-5D-5L, including the EQ-VAS. Clinical data and socio-demographic characteristics were also collected. Patients were stratified by DED severity based on OSDI scores. 
RESULTS: A total of 134 patients were included (80.6% women; mean age: 55.8 years). Two-thirds of patients (67%) reported severe symptoms (OSDI >/=33). The mean EQ-5D utility score was 0.84 (SD: 0.20), with a significant decrease in utility observed in patients with higher OSDI scores (mean utility: 0.66 in the most severe group vs. 0.94 in the non-severe group, p<0.0001). The EQ-5D dimensions most impacted were “pain/discomfort” and “anxiety/depression,” while “mobility” and “self-care” remained largely unaffected. Correlation analyses confirmed strong associations between OSDI items and EQ-5D dimensions related to daily activities and discomfort. Clinical test results (e.g., CFS) were not significantly associated with HRQoL scores, highlighting the known “pain without stain” phenomenon in DED. 
CONCLUSIONS: DED has a substantial impact on patients’ quality of life, particularly in terms of pain, emotional well-being, and daily functioning. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating both disease-specific and generic HRQoL measures in the evaluation of DED burden and treatment outcomes. The results also support the need for patient-centered approaches in DED management and health technology assessment.