Research explores views of dry eye disease patients on sustainability

UK research has explored the perspectives of patients with severe dry eye disease towards changes that could reduce environmental impact

2 min read

A female clinician in a white coat holds soil with a plant in it

Getty/katleho Seisa

Selina Powell

24 March 2025

A new study published in Eye has explored the views of patients on the sustainability of the severe dry eye disease healthcare pathway.

The research involved semi-structured interviews with 92 severe dry eye disease patients at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre, St Paul’s Eye Unit in Liverpool, Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology in Glasgow and Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

When asked about the disposal of their dry eye medication packaging, 40% of patients disposed of packaging within household waste, 13% recycled everything and 51% used a mixture of recycling and household waste.

The environmental impact of severe dry eye disease

40%

of severe DED patients discard all packaging in household waste

2

Trees needed to offset average annual hospital travel

13%

of severe DED patients recycle all packaging

Eye (‘Patients’ perspective on the environmental impact of the severe dry eye disease healthcare pathway’)

Only 7% of those surveyed reported that their medication packaging had clear recycling instructions.

Study participants attended a median of three hospital appointments per year, with 62% travelling by car.

When asked if having dry eye disease increased their carbon footprint, 37% disagreed, 32% agreed and 32% were unsure.

The authors highlighted that this correlates with another survey of 1858 UK adults survey by The Health Foundation in 2021, which found that only one in four believed that the NHS was contributing to climate change.

The most popular suggestion for improving sustainability from the study participants was to prioritise environmentally-friendly packaging.

“The results of this study are unique and have highlighted multiple areas in which innovations are needed to help the NHS to achieve Net Zero,” the authors shared.