Quality of Life and Symptomatology in Neuropathic Corneal Pain in Comparison With Dry Eye Syndrome

To investigate and compare the quality of life (QoL) and symptomatology between neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) and dry eye disease (DED).

We recruited 150 patients, comprising 50 patients with NCP and 100 patients with DED. Patients' symptoms and QoL were evaluated using the Ocular Pain Assessment Survey and Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaires. Ocular surface assessments were also performed.

Patients with NCP demonstrated significantly lower Oxford and National Eye Institute scores for ocular surface and corneal staining, respectively, and a better tear break-up time than patients with DED. However, patients with NCP reported significantly worse scores on most of the Ocular Pain Assessment Survey questions and significantly more severe overall pain ( P = 0.019), maximal and average ocular pain and nonocular pain (all P < 0.05). The NCP group reported significantly worse QoL in all aspects of daily living (all P < 0.001). Patients with NCP spent more time thinking about their eye pain and reported significantly higher pain intensities than patients with DED when exposed to chemical and mechanical stimuli (all P ≤ 0.008). Burning sensation and photophobia were significantly more frequent in patients with NCP ( P = 0.032 and P = 0.012, respectively). Similarly, the NCP group reported significantly worse total Ocular Surface Disease Index scores, significantly more frequent vision-related function impairment and painful or sore eyes than the DED group ( P = 0.029, P = 0.031, and P = 0.014, respectively).

Compared with DED, NCP is more debilitating, leading to more severe and frequent symptoms, and greater negative impact on all aspects of QoL.