Table 1

Spontaneous terms (with their respective translations) used to describe DED*

French (France; %)German (Germany; %)Italian (Italy; %)Spanish (Spain; %)English (UK; %)Overall (%)
16
démangeaison/grattent		33
juckend		20
prurito		38
picor		34
itchy†		28
24
irrités		1
gereizt		15
irritazione		23‡
irritante		57
sore/irritated†		25
12
sec		20
trocken		24
secchi		34
seco/sequedad		30
dry†		24
4
énervé/dérangeant		7
belästigend		46
fastidioso		46
molesto		14
annoying		24
20
douloureux		14
schmerzvoll		32
dolore		22
dolor		20
painful†		22
32
brûlent		36
brennend		36
bruciore		3
quemazon/ardor		1
burning†		21
33
gêne		0
beschwerend		7
disagio		23‡
malestar/incomodo		18
discomfort/uncomfortable		17
23
sable		14
Sand		7
sabbia		11
arena		3
sand in eye		12
35
piquer/picotement		1
stechend		4
pungiglione/pizzicore		1
pinchazos/agujas		10
stinging/prickle		10
9
larmes		16
Tränenmangel		10
lacrimazione		13
pegar		3
(lack of) tears†		10
9
troublée		7
Sehtrübung		1
offuscata		7
borrosa		9
blurred vision†		7
1
corps étranger		10
Fremdkörper		7
corpo estraneo		1
cuerpo extraño		1
foreign body†		4
1
griffer		4
kratzend		1
graffiano		1
rasposo		9
scratching†		3
4
collage		1
klebend		2
appiccicarsi		1
pegar		6
sticking†		3
1
lourd/fardeau		1
schwer belastend		5
carico/pesante		6
carga/pesado		0
burdened/heavy†		3
1
enflés/gonflés		2
geschwollen		3
gonfiore		2
hinchados		1
swollen†		2

  • *The top four terms most commonly used to spontaneously describe DED condition are highlighted in bold for each country and overall. As patients were asked to provide four terms, values add to more than 100%.

  • †In an independent question, these terms were part of a 12-option list from which patients had to select 4 words to best describe their eye conditions.

  • ‡These ‘top 4’ terms were given by the same number of patients.

  • DED, dry eye disease.