Dry eye disease (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) is a common ocular surface condition. There are multiple causes of dry eye disease, which can be divided into two main subtypes: decreased tear secretion and increased tear evaporation. We became interested in the subject during our practical training. After reading international studies about dry eye disease we noticed its great prevalence among the Finnish population. This study was produced together with Näköasiantuntijat Oy, which consists of private, non-franchised practices.

The aim of our study was to increase the consumers’ knowledge of dry eye disease. We chose to create an internet guide in pdf-form to reach as many consumers as possible. The focus of the guide intended to be on the treatment of dry eye disease and, in addition, on reviewing its causes and symptoms. The guide was to be informative, reliable and compact.

Our thesis is practice-based. We got acquainted with international clinical studies and literature to establish the theoretical background for the thesis. Based on that information we created a dry eye guide.

To receive feedback on the dry eye guide we constructed a Webropol questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to the optometry students of Oulu University of Applied Sciences. The students were asked to evaluate the four different divisions of the guide: layout, consistency, reliability and readability. Based on the feedback we made final editing changes.

Thesis is comprehensive and current as well as practical. The guide is intended for the consumers who suffer from dry eye disease. In addition, it can be utilized by eye care professionals to improve their knowledge of dry eye disease. Others interested in dry eye disease may also find it helpful. Further study ideas are to look into effects of dry eye treatments.