Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants
| Demographic and clinical characteristics | Total (n=50) | Video* (n=25) | Live** (n=25) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | ||||
| Gender | ||||
| Female, n (%) | 44 (88.0) | 22 (88.0) | 22 (88.0) | 1.000 |
| Age, mean ± SD | 42.7±16.5 | 40.2±15.8 | 45.1±17.2 | 0.298 |
| Ethnicity | ||||
| Chinese, n (%) | 46 (92.0) | 23 (92.0) | 23 (92.0) | 0.261 |
| Socioeconomic indicators | ||||
| Highest education | ||||
| Up to A levels/diploma, n (%) | 33 (66.0) | 18 (72.0) | 15 (60.0) | |
| University and above, n (%) | 17 (34.0) | 7 (28.0) | 10 (40.0) | 0.551 |
| Housing type | ||||
| ≤4 rooms, n (%) | 21 (42.0) | 8 (32.0) | 13 (52.0) | |
| 5 room/executive, n (%) | 25 (50.0) | 14 (56.0) | 11 (44.0) | |
| Private, n (%) | 4 (8.0) | 3 (12.0) | 1 (4.0) | 0.279 |
| Gross income | ||||
| ≤S$3,000, n (%) | 30 (60.0) | 15 (60.0) | 15 (60.0) | |
| >S$3,000, n (%) | 10 (40.0) | 10 (40.0) | 20 (40.0) | 1.000 |
| Clinical characteristics | ||||
| SPEED score, mean ± SD | 7.6±5.7 | 7.2±5.3 | 8.0±6.2 | 0.624 |
| Presence of crusting RE, n (%)*** | 5 (10.0) | 1 (4.0) | 4 (16.0) | 0.157 |
| Presence of meibomian gland plaque RE, n (%)*** | 18 (36.0) | 9 (36.0) | 9 (36.0) | 1.000 |
| Regularity of meibomian gland orifice RE, n (%)*** | 45 (90.0) | 24 (96.0) | 21 (84.0) | 0.157 |
Notes:
*
These participants were given a link to an online video demonstration of the eyelid wipe technique.
**
These participants were given a live demonstration of the eyelid wipe technique.
***
Baseline clinical characteristics of both eyes were taken but only the right eye characteristics were presented, as there is a significant correlation (based on Pearson correlation coefficient) between right and left eyes for the presence of crusting, plaque, or regularity (R>0.6, p<0.01).
Abbreviations: RE, right Eye; S$, Singapore dollars; SPEED, Standard Patient Evaluation Eye Dryness.