Domains and attributes tested as part of the online survey and most important outcomes identified
Domain
Attribute tested
Importance
Most important outcomes identified
Treatment satisfaction
Treatment effectiveness on symptoms of dry eye.
Treatment effectiveness on symptoms of DED is the most important.
The treatment should relieve most symptoms of dry eye.
The treatment should start to relieve symptoms at least 5 min after taking it.
The effect should last for at least 48 hours.
Patients want their treatment to help the underlying disease, for example, improving tear quality and restoring essential components of tears.
Patients with dry eyes want the treatment to start helping the underlying disease as quickly as possible (eg, 1 week).
All levels of treatment experience are important to patients (eg, relief from itching and irritation).
The most burdensome aspect of treatment side effects is stinging, burning and discomfort on instillation.
How quickly the treatment starts to relieve symptoms.
Time until the treatment starts helping the underlying disease and tear glands become healthy again.
Treatment effectiveness on underlying disease (signs) of dry eye.
How long the treatment reduces symptoms for.
Treatment experience.
Side effects of treatment.
Symptom bother
Eye discomfort.
Eye discomfort and sensitivity are the most bothering symptoms.
The most burdensome eye discomfort symptom is eye dryness.
All aspects of eye sensitivity are burdensome to patients.
The most burdensome aspect of eye pain is having burning eyes.
The most burdensome eye fatigue symptom is having aching, sore or tired eyes.
A few vision problems are burdensome to patients, for example, blurry or double vision, difficulty seeing clearly at night, and diminished vision.
The most burdensome eye appearance aspect is having red eyes.
All aspects of blinking are burdensome to patients.
Eye sensitivity.
Eye pain.
Eye fatigue.
Vision.
Eye appearance.
Blinking.
Other health-related impacts.
Treatment administration
Frequency of treatment use.
Within treatment administration, frequency of treatment use and how the treatment works (eg, artificial tears) are the most important aspects.
Patients with DED prefer eye-drops to other options, for example, gel or slow-release conjunctival device.
Patients with DED want their treatment to work through artificial tears.
Patients with DED prefer to be able to use their dry eye medication as needed, rather than at specific time intervals.
Patients with DED do not want their treatment to include preservatives.
Patients with DED do not mind whether the treatment is prescribed by a doctor or not.
How the treatment works.
How the medicine is applied.
Source of medication.
Packaging of the treatment.
Impact on daily life
Impact on daily activities.
Impact on daily activities (eg, working on a computer or doing crossword puzzles), impact on work (eg, having to take a break during work) and impact on daily situations (eg, difficulty going outdoors in windy conditions) are the most important aspects.
Patients with DED find it difficult to work on a computer.
Patients with DED also feel distracted and cannot concentrate while working.
Patients with DED find it difficult going outdoors in windy conditions.
Patients with DED worry that their dry eyes will get worse.
Patients with DED find it difficult to go anywhere without eye-drops.
Impact on work or paperwork and screen-based tasks.
