Impact of Dry Eye Disease on Work Productivity Among Saudi Workers in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Purpose To assess the impact of dry eye disease (DED) on work productivity in Saudi Arabia and investigate its effect on daily activities. Patients and Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study on male and female Saudi workers age 20 years or older. The data were collected via self-administered questionnaires distributed electronically through social media. We used the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire to diagnose DED patients and assess their DED severity as mild, moderate, and severe. Results A total of 463 respondents qualified for the study. All patients in the DED groups reported a loss of work productivity. Most patients in the severe DED group (59%) reported difficulty focusing on work due to DED, whereas 17.1% of patients with mild DED and 22.7% with moderate DED reported the same. These findings indicate significantly worsening productivity as DED progresses in severity (p<0.05). Participants with severe DED reported significantly more affected work hours weekly (35.8%) than participants with moderate (6.1%) and mild DED (7.1%). Conclusion DED has a significant impact on work productivity, with the most pronounced effect among office workers. It is essential to screen office workers for DED and enhance the awareness of its effect on work productivity among the workforce and healthcare providers.

The Association Between Dry Eye and Sleep Quality Among the Adult Population of Saudi Arabia

“…In this cross-sectional study, the calculated study sample using the OpenEpi web tool, with a 95% confidence level and an estimated prevalence of 32.1%, was 337 participants [2]. We used the validated Arabic version of the OSDI [7] to diagnose DED. The OSDI is a 12-item questionnaire that assesses the severity of dry eye according to a score that ranges between 0 and 100.…”

“…We used the validated Arabic version of the OSDI [ 7 ] to diagnose DED. The OSDI is a 12-item questionnaire that assesses the severity of dry eye according to a score that ranges between 0 and 100.…”

“…DED has been classified into two types: episodic and chronic; of the two, episodic DED results from multiple causes, such as prolonged visual tasks with reduced blinking, and it progresses to chronic DED when these symptoms persist [ 7 ]. This condition has been shown to have a negative impact on patients’ daily activities, such as watching television and reading, as well as work productivity [ 8 ].…”

“…This condition has been shown to have a negative impact on patients’ daily activities, such as watching television and reading, as well as work productivity [ 8 ]. More severe consequences of DED include difficulties in focusing and driving at night, which were reported in 47.5% and 64.7% of the population, respectively [ 7 ].…”

Visual health and prevalence of dry eye syndrome among university students in Iraq and Jordan

“…One Saudi Arabian study found that the decrease in work productivity was higher among people who were suffering from severe symptoms. The results also showed that these people not only decreased their performance at work but also at home, which affected their overall quality of life [ 32 ]. In our study, the most commonly reported activities that participants struggled with reading street signs or the names of stores, reading ordinary print in newspapers, and finding something on a crowded shelf.…”