Table 1.
Impact of DED on quality of life
| Theme (number of mentions) | Perception | Specific aspect of theme mentioned in post | Number of mentions | Sample quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workplace difficulties (n = 51) | Positive: 1; Neutral: 2; Negative: 48 | Can’t work on computer | 10 |
“I couldn’t see through the heavy tear production & stopped working, as a film maker” “I also spent thousands on my eye treatments last year alone, which I can’t do if I don’t work, but I can’t work when I feel like this” |
| Can’t keep up with work | 9 | |||
| Can’t focus on work | 9 | |||
| Stopped working | 7 | |||
| Skip/can’t work full time | 6 | |||
| Trouble finding job | 5 | |||
| Make working easy | 2 | |||
| Change work | 2 | |||
| Retired early | 1 | |||
| Electronic device usage (n = 33) | Positive: 4; Neutral: 2; Negative: 27 | Eye strain | 11 | “My vision is so blurry now I have to get about 5 inches from the screen to see what is there. Magnification does not help much as the lighted screen “ghost” whatever I am seeing. My friend is typing/sending this for me now” |
| Unable to use | 9 | |||
| Able to use | 5 | |||
| Less blinking | 4 | |||
| Difficulty in reading | 2 | |||
| Blurry vision | 2 | |||
| Reading difficulties (n = 29) | Positive: 3; Neutral: 1; Negative: 25 | Can’t read | 10 | “I had them reset my ‘reader’ for my lap and rest the book on a small pillow because of hand osteoarthritis, 2.5 yrs. ago I had to go to Kindle and blow up the fonts to the biggest fuzzy stuff I could get” |
| Able to read | 4 | |||
| Burn while reading | 4 | |||
| Small prints | 4 | |||
| Difficulty in reading | 3 | |||
| Blur while reading | 2 | |||
| Driving difficulties (n = 26) | Positive: 3; Neutral: 2; Negative: 21 | Difficulty in driving | 6 | “I can no longer drive at night. The halos and starbursts around lights are huge and disorienting. So I have to make sure I am home before the sun sets. My eyes are horribly dry” |
| Can’t see while driving | 6 | |||
| Stopped driving | 4 | |||
| Night driving difficult | 3 | |||
| Able to drive | 3 | |||
| Trouble concentrating | 3 | |||
| Reduced driving | 1 | |||
| Can’t wear contact lenses (n = 13) | Positive: 2; Neutral: 2; Negative: 9 | Stopped use | 7 | “The worst part with this for me (I know I probably sound superficial) have been to completely cut off wearing contact lenses and makeup” |
| Wish to start | 5 | |||
| Occasional use | 1 | |||
| Entertainment (n = 10) | Positive: 3; Negative: 7 | Can’t watch movie/TV | 7 | “I have severe dry eye to the point it has been life changing for me. I used to be active…enjoy theater, dinners, nights out with friends” |
| Can watch movie/TV | 4 | |||
| Social stigma (n = 7) | Positive: 1; Negative: 6 | Social awkwardness | 4 | “It is definitely socially awkward, as I constantly had friends and complete strangers asking me if I was OK” |
| Miss social events | 2 | |||
| Can’t go out in public | 1 |