Moorfields Ocular Surface Disease in Glaucoma Prevalence Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
“Ocular Surface Disease within Specialist Glaucoma Clinics in the United Kingdom: A Modern-Day Evaluation of Prevalence, Patient Reported Symptoms and Economic Burden”
IRAS ID
254840
Contact name
Hari Jayaram
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 0 months, 27 days
Research summary
Ocular Surface Disease (OSD) is a common condition that is often debilitating to patients impacting their quality of life, and with significant economic burden to healthcare systems. Studies have shown that over half of patients with glaucoma may be affected by OSD due to exposure to preservatives in eyedrops and due to an increased incidence with ageing. However, the extent of this problem has yet to be studied in the United Kingdom where there has been an increased availability of preservative-free medications in recent years.
This study therefore has three major objectives: 1) To estimate the prevalence of OSD within specialist glaucoma clinics in the United Kingdom, 2) To study patient-reported measures of OSD and its impact upon patients’ quality of life, and 3) To estimate the economic burden of this condition to the UK National Health Service.
To do this, we plan to approach approximately 900 patients scheduled to attend outpatient glaucoma clinics across a selection of Moorfields’ sites during a single calendar month in 2018. While waiting for their consultation, patients who agree to participate will be asked to complete three validated questionnaires that evaluate the extent of their OSD symptoms and how this impacts upon their quality of life. Information about their diagnosis, history of eye problems, duration and type of eyedrops, eyesight and visual field test results will be collected and clinicians will also document the health of the eyelids, tear film and surface of the eye. We also plan to study 80 patients attending cataract referral clinics in order to obtain comparable data from a population of patients of similar age without glaucoma.
Analysis of this rich dataset will lead to the reporting of three specific outputs:
1) A calculation of the prevalence and severity of OSD in this patient group within a UK setting using both patient-reported and clinician-derived outcomes;
2) The relationship of eyedrop use with patients’ symptoms and quality of life, including a comparison of the impact of using preserved and unpreserved drops;
3) An estimate of the financial cost of OSD to the NHS through additional prescriptions and attendances, and its impact upon the productivity of a working population.This project will generate UK-derived evidence that will help improve contemporary glaucoma management algorithms to optimise the ocular surface. This change can be delivered through helping clinicians to optimise patient-reported outcomes, improving the cost efficiency of busy clinical glaucoma services and by enhancing the quality of life of glaucoma patients.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
18/ES/0149
Date of REC Opinion
17 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion