We want to determine if we can conduct future research on dry eye remotely. This means you would not need to come to a doctor’s office to participate in dry eye research. The goal of this feasibility study is to determine the best practices for having participants complete dry eye symptom surveys remotely, collect their own tear samples at home, and mail the samples in for analysis. Ultimately, if we can learn how to study dry eye effectively and remotely, we can include more people in our studies. This will allow us to better determine which treatments are most effective for specific types of dry eye. We are hopeful that a remote approach to dry eye research will help us learn more about the efficacy of existing treatments and explore new treatments for dry eye disease.
What Is Involved in Participating?
1. This is not a clinical trial. There is no randomization or treatment involved. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a fully remote dry eye study is feasible. We are assessing whether participants are capable of self-collecting tear samples, and whether these samples provide sufficient material for DNA analysis.
2. Upon enrollment, a study kit containing study materials will be mailed to your home address. You will be guided through the sample collection process either via an instructional video or by scheduling a Zoom session with a study coordinator. You will be directed on self-collection of either tear strips and/or eyelid swabs. Following each sample collection, you will be asked to complete two symptom surveys. After collecting the samples, you will return them to UCSF using the pre-provided mailing envelope.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I want to stop being in this study?
You may end your participation at any time by informing a member of the study staff.
Do I need to pay or use my insurance?
No, participation in this study is free of cost and all materials will be provided.
How Do I Enroll?
You must have an eye exam that confirms dry eye.
If you are a UCSF patient, your UCSF eye doctor can let us know you are interested and the study team can confirm eligibility
If you are not a UCSF patient, you will have to give your eye doctor permission to send us this information
