BACKGROUND
Ocular pain has multifactorial etiologies affecting daily activities, psychological well-being, and health related quality of life. Chronic ocular surface pain (COSP) is a persistent eye pain symptom lasting for a period longer than 3 months.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this social media listening study was to better understand COSP and related symptoms, identify the perceived causes and comorbidities, its impact on QoL from social media posts.
METHODS
A search from February 2020 to February 2021 was performed on social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, blogs, news, and forums) for English-language content posted online. Social media platforms which did not provide public access to information/posts were excluded. Social media posts from Australia, Canada, United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (USA) were retrieved using the Social Studio® platform (Salesforce.com, USA), an online aggregator tool.
RESULTS
Of the 25,590 posts identified initially, 464 posts about COSP were considered relevant; majority (98%) of the conversations were from adults (>18 years). Work status was mentioned in 52 conversations. Patients/caregivers discussions across
social media platforms were around the symptoms (62%) and causes (58%) of eye pain. Patients mentioned suffering from symptoms associated with COSP including— headache/head pressures, dry/gritty eyes, light sensitivity etc. Patients posted that their COSP impacts day-to-day activities such as reading, driving, sleeping as well as their social, mental and functional wellbeing.
CONCLUSIONS
Insights from this study reported patients’ experiences, concerns, and the adverse impact on overall QoL. COSP imposes a significant burden in patients that spans multiple aspects of daily life.
CLINICALTRIAL
Not Applicable