Abstract

Background: Dry eye is a common ophthalmological disorder causing ocular discomfort and affecting individual’s daily activities. Artificial tears had been the mainstay of treatment since long. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the newer treatment modalities.
Objective: This study compares cost-effectiveness of topical medications used for the treatment of dry eye syndrome in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Materials & Methods: A total of 60 patients diagnosed with dry eye were enrolled for a study period of 1 year. Patient of either sex (male/female), aged 18–70 years, and all diagnosed cases of dry eye in ophthalmology outpatient department were selected. Patients were divided into two groups: group I (n = 30) topical carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and group II (n = 30) CMC + NSAID. Diagnostic tests included were Schirmer’s test and tear breakup time (TBUT). Comparison and analysis of cost, efficacy, and safety between the two groups was carried out at the end of the study period (12 weeks) using GraphPad InStat software. p-Value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: This was an open label study revealing a mean age of 46.0 ± 1.79 years. Females (56.67%) showed a significantly higher prevalence of dry eye symptoms compared to males (43.33%). The mean duration of illness was 1.95 ± 0.16 years. The Schirmer’s and TBUT test values were significantly improved in group I and II (p < 0.001) on intra- group comparison. Burning, stinging, blurring of vision, photophobia, and hyperemia were among the common adverse effects seen. Intergroup comparison showed significant difference in total cost per prescription per day, total cost per prescription, and total cost of treatment between group I and group II (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study showed high total cost per prescription per day, total cost per prescription, and total cost of treat- ment in the patient group receiving NSAID along with CMC as compared to CMC alone. As dry eye is a prevalent condition with the potential for a high economic burden, additional studies are needed to further characterize the economic impact.