Lan Wanwen, Lee Sze Yee, Lee Man Xin, Tong Louis
Singapore Eye Research Institute, 11 Third Hospital Avenue, Singapore 168751.
ScientificWorldJournal. 2012;2012:923059. doi: 10.1100/2012/923059. Epub 2012 Nov 8.
Dry eye is a common health problem worldwide, causing significant discomfort and inconvenience to sufferers. The conventional treatment of dry eye via topical administration of eye drops is deemed palliative and unsatisfactory to many. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown some promise in dry eye treatment; however, the extent of its use and acceptance is uncertain. We evaluated the knowledge, attitude, and practice of institutional TCM practitioners in the treatment of dry eye in Singapore. A questionnaire was generated to address the study aims and sent to TCM practitioners listed in the Singapore TCM practitioners' board database. About three quarters of respondents thought that dry eye was not severe enough to be a public health burden but most thought that TCM was effective in the treatment of dry eye. Acupuncture and herbal medicine were most commonly used TCM modalities in dry eye treatment, and a single TCM treatment session would be charged S$20-50 by the practitioner. The majority of surveyed institutional TCM practitioners in Singapore believe that TCM is relevant in dry eye treatment. Public awareness should be raised regarding the availability of TCM as alternative medicine for dry eye.
干眼症是全球常见的健康问题，给患者带来极大不适和不便。通过局部滴眼药水对干眼症进行的传统治疗被认为是姑息性的，许多患者对此并不满意。中医在干眼症治疗方面已展现出一定前景；然而，其应用范围和接受程度尚不确定。我们评估了新加坡中医从业者在干眼症治疗方面的知识、态度和实践情况。为实现研究目标编制了一份问卷，并发送给新加坡中医师公会数据库中列出的中医从业者。约四分之三的受访者认为干眼症严重程度不足以成为公共卫生负担，但大多数人认为中医对干眼症治疗有效。针灸和草药是中医治疗干眼症最常用的方式，中医师单次中医治疗收费为20至50新元。新加坡大多数接受调查的机构中医从业者认为中医在干眼症治疗中有重要作用。应提高公众对中医可作为干眼症替代药物的认知。
