A US study identified a significant surge in internet search activity for eye drop safety and alternative dry eye disease (DED) therapies following nationwide eye drop recalls beginning in January 2023.  

Using Google Trends to measure the popularity of specific search terms from April 2022–October 2023, researchers observed a significant increase in search volume index (SVI) for most keywords analysed, including: dry eye vitamin, are eye drops safe, stop eye drops, lipiflow, dry eye mask, dry eye warm compress, omega-3 for dry eyes, dry eye plugs, and IPL dry eye.  

When comparing the 40-week period before and after the initial recall, 7/10 alternative DED therapies demonstrated a statistically significant surge in internet search traffic after recall. Furthermore, keywords pertaining to eye drop safety concerns demonstrated an increase in SVI. 

“Public health agencies and physicians may find this information valuable while attempting to address safety concerns and navigating noncompliance of routine eye drop therapy,” authors wrote.  

The research was published by Eye & Contact Lens.