Table 2.
Dry eye diagnoses and punctal plug insertion by provider type (number of individuals)
|
Provider type performing plug insertion |
Provider type generating dry eye diagnosis (%)a | |||
| Ophthalmologist | Optometrist | Total | ||
| Ophthalmologist | 30,789 (69.06%) | 1,950 (4.37%) | 32,739 (73.44%) | |
| Optometrist | 1,910 (4.28%) | 9,933 (22.28%) | 11,843 (26.56%) | |
| Total | 32,699 (73.35%) | 11,883 (26.65%) | 44,582 (100.00%) | |
a
N= 44,582
Ophthalmology providers saw three-fold more patients than optometric providers with dry eye diagnoses. Ophthalmologists placed three-fold as many punctal plugs as optometrists. The majority of punctal plugs were placed by the diagnosing provider.