Patients are very important to us at Scope, and we are always looking at ways in which we can help to improve the quality of life for those who live with dry eye disease. This can be through new product development or by educating clinicians about diagnostic techniques and management therapies. Earlier this year the Medical and Education Teams put their heads together to consider how they might be able to help patients in a more direct way and came up with a plan…
To mark the end of Dry Eye Awareness Month Scope Eyecare held their very first patient centred event. I’m really proud to have been part of this virtual meeting which took place over 4 hours on Saturday 31st July. Patients joined from around the world to participate in a packed programme and our thanks must go to the amazing experts from the UK, Ireland and the USA who gave up their weekend to share tips and advice on managing dry eye disease.
The sessions included an amazing and honest account of what its really like to have dry eye from Rebecca Petris, the founder of the Dry Eye Foundation. Rebecca shared insights of living everyday with the burden of dry eye along with the emotional and psychological challenges it presents.
Laura M Periman MD Founder and Director of Dry Eye Services and Clinical Research at The Periman Eye Institute in Seattle joined me for an ‘Ask the Expert’ session where we chatted about the common questions that patients ask us when first diagnosed with dry eye.
Dr Michael Gross, an expert in well-being and nutrition shared his extensive research on nutritional therapy for dry eye disease and how what we eat can impact the health of our eyes.
In the last of the sessions Dr Pam Theriot, a dry eye expert from Louisiana shared some brilliant, yet simple everyday lifestyle shifts that we can all consider to help manage our dry eyes on a daily basis.
I really enjoyed a peek inside three specialist dry eye clinics. Mr Arthur Cummings showed us around his clinic – The Wellington Eye Clinic in Dublin. Professor James Wolffsohn showcased some of the latest technology they have in the Aston University Dry Eye Clinic and Nick Rumney explained the various tests that he performs in his Dry Eye Clinic at BBR Optometrists. Three very different clinics all with dedicated clinicians offering a specialised service for patients suffering with dry eye. Hopefully seeing what is actually involved in a dry eye assessment has helped to reduce any anxieties patients attending an appointment for the first time may have.
Throughout the meeting there was a busy virtual ‘chat room’ but I was delighted that the presenters all joined me on screen for a final Q&A before we finished.
I must also say a huge ‘thank you’ to the Scope team who worked so hard behind the scenes to make this event happen.
If you didn’t get a chance to attend the Dry Eye Well-Being Patient Seminar, you can access the recordings here. Do take the time to listen to the sessions, I learned so much from our amazing experts, even if you take away just one or two tips or pieces of advice, it may just make living with dry eye a little easier…
Take care
Mandy
