THE BLINDING GAP IN KCS CLIENT KNOWLEDGE - Dry Eye Awareness Month Launches In July

7 years ago
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13th June, 2017 13h11

Reading, May 2017: In the run up to the first veterinary Dry Eye Awareness Month in July, Bayer are highlighting the blinding gap in client awareness of the condition.

A recent survey1 discovered that nearly half (46%) of dog owners were not aware that dogs can potentially suffer from keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), or Dry Eye, despite the condition affecting the equivalent of around 375,000 dogs in the UK.3

Ocular conditions account for around one in ten canine consultations in first opinion practice,2 with KCS affecting around five percent of all dogs3, and up to 20 per cent of predisposed breeds.4

In response to the statistics, Bayer will launch the first veterinary Dry Eye Awareness Month in July. With KCS, early diagnosis and treatment can have a significant impact on prognosis, so the focus of the campaign will be to encourage pet owners to speak to their vet in the hope of increasing early diagnoses and improving the uptake of regular testing of at risk breeds.

The campaign will include a dedicated social media drive, targeting the social communities of at risk breeds by inviting them to pledge their commitment to managing dry eye in their pet. A suite of practice materials has also been made available for vets to support the drive in their waiting room.

Hannah Watts, Group Product Manager at Bayer said: “With this significant gap in owner understanding of the significance of KCS in dogs, it was clear that more is needed to be done to encourage owners of at-risk breeds to visit their vet practice for early diagnosis. The focus of Dry Eye Awareness Month is to support vets in championing the issue amongst their client base, through a range of educational materials. We hope vets will join us in utilising the month as a platform on which to discuss the prevalence and potential seriousness of the condition if left unmanaged.’’ 

Bayer’s research also found how poor understanding of the lifelong nature of the condition is one of the main barriers to owner compliance when managing cases, further highlighting the need for education.5

Chris Dixon, Director at Veterinary Vision Ophthalmic Referrals, said: “KCS cases can present acutely, or with subtle clinical signs that will not be detected from initial observations and require a Schirmer tear test to effectively quantify the reflex tear film production.  Unless vets are actively discussing the condition with owners, and performing these tests on a regular basis, it is likely that many dogs could remain undiagnosed.”

Chris continues: “In any case where ongoing treatment is required, client education is key in successful disease management. Accurate determination of the cause of the KCS will allow for an appropriate choice of medical therapy.  When adjunctive tear replacement therapy is required, many owners will admit to not having the time to administer treatments frequently enough, which should factor into the recommendations we make as practitioners. For example, offering a longer acting product which requires less frequent application.” C

The long-lasting relief provided by Remend™ Dry Eye Lubricant Drops makes them a useful option to aid the management of dry eyes in dogs, where twice daily application may encourage owner compliance.

Vets wanting to learn more about KCS can download the Remend ‘Vision Matters – A Focus on Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca’ educational guide atwww.remend.co.uk/vets-area .

Dry Eye Awareness Month practice display materials are available to order via your Bayer Territory Manager or please email [email protected]

ENDS

References:

1.        Survey of 2500 pet owners April 2015, commisioned by Bayer

2.     O’Neill DG, Church DB, McGreevy PD, Thomson PC, Brodbelt DC. Prevalence of Disorders Recorded in Dogs Attending Primary-Care Veterinary Practices in England. PLoS ONE. 2014; 9(3)

3.     Pierce V & Williams D. Determination of Schirmer Tear Test values in 1000 dogs. BSAVA Abstract 2006

4.     Williams D, Mann B. A Crosslinked HA-Based Hydrogel Ameliorates Dry Eye Symptoms in Dogs. International Journal of Biomaterials. Volume 2013, Article ID 460437

5.     Survey of 165 veterinary surgeons June 2015

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