Objective: To determine whether ocular Demodex colonization results in differences in Schirmer test scores and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire values in individuals with dry eye disease (DED) diagnosed for the first time. Method: Eighty-eight adults aged 40 to 68 years who were admitted to Ophthalmology outpatient clinic for routine ophthalmological examination or presbyopia examination and diagnosed with DED for the first time and who do not have any chronic disease were included in the study. All the patients were asked to complete the OSDI, which is widely used for assessing dry eye symptom severity and vision-related functioning. The Schirmer test was performed, and then two eyelashes were taken from the inferior eyelids of each eyes. After saline (0.09% NaCl) was added to the sample, it was quickly taken to the microbiology laboratory, which is located next to the Ophthalmology policlinic. The sample was evaluated by a parasitologist experienced in Demodex. Results: One hundred sixty-eight eyes of 84 patients were included in the study. Average Schirmer test score was 2.1±0.5, the OSDI questionnaire score was 61.82±10.95, and the mean age was 55.36±8.74 years in patients who had Demodex colonization (n=30), whereas the average Schirmer test score was 6.6±0.9 score, OSDI questionnaire score was 40.96±12.73, and the mean age was 49.12±6.87 years in patients without Demodex colonization (n=58). It has been observed that dry eye patients with Demodex colonization had a higher mean age (P: 0.001), higher mean OSDI score (P: 0.001), and lower average Schirmer test score (P: 0.001) compared with those without Demodex. The significant relationship between lower Schirmer test score and higher OSDI rates and occurrence of Demodex infestation continued after adjusting for mean age values (P=0.012; P=0.035). Conclusion: It was determined that the presence of ocular Demodex colonization was associated with the average Schirmer test scores, OSDI scores, and age values in patients with newly diagnosed DED. Demodex quantity was found increased in older aged patients, but the significant relationship between lower Schirmer test score and higher OSDI rates and Demodex infestation persisted even after controlling the mean age values. Supporting these findings with large-numbered and randomized-controlled studies will help in clarifying the association of the Demodex infestation with etiopathogenesis of dry eye.

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Kuru göz hastalığı göz yaşı içeriğini ve oküler yüzeyi etkileyen bir hastalıktır. Kornea epitel defektinden kornea delinmesine uzanan çeşitli oküler bulgular bu hastalıkla ilişkilidir (1). Kuru göz hastalığı en sık görülen göz hastalıklarından biridir. Yapılan toplum temelli prevalans çalışmalarında oranlar farklılık göstermekte olup %5 ile %35 arasında değişmektedir (2). Hastalık kadın cinsiyet, yaşlılar ve Asya ırkına mensup bireylerde daha sık gözlenmektedir (3-5). Etyopatogenezinde; hormonal değişimler, sigara kullanımı, oküler cerrahi, ilaç kullanımı, allerjenler, düşük nem düzeyi, yüksek oda sıcaklığı ve kontakt lens kullanımının rol oynadığı bildirilmiştir (5). Hastalıkla ilişkili oküler rahatsızlık, yabancı cisim hissi ve ağrı semptomlarının bireyin yaşam kalitesini olumsuz olarak etkilediği ve ruh sağlığı ile ilgili problemleri beraberinde getirdiği Ya z›fl ma Ad re si/Ad dress for Cor res pon den ce:

AIM: We aimed to explore whether there is difference in terms of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer (RNFL) thickness, macula thickness and anterior segment structures of the eye between children and adolescents with ADHD and healthy controls. METHOD: Children and adolescents aged 8-16 years who were admitted to the Child Psychiatry outpatient clinic of Ahi Evran University Hospital diagnosed with ADHD constituted the study group. Exclusion criteria included patients who had any systemic/ocular or psychiatric disorder other than ADHD and patients who had any psychopharmacological treatment. Participants in the control group were children and adolescents who applied to the outpatient clinic of Ophthalmology at the same hospital with no chronic medical or psychiatric disorder. Groups were compared in terms of central macular thickness, retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFL), central corneal thickness, corneal diameter, mean corneal radius of curvature, anterior chamber depth, and axial length using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Optical Biometry. RESULTS: Data obtained from the measurements of 60 eyes of 30 patients with ADHD and 60 eyes of 30 patients of the control group were evaluated. Groups were similar in terms of age and gender. Corneal thickness (p = 0.001) and axial length (p = 0.04) values were significantly higher in ADHD group while the mean corneal curvature radius (p = 0.03) was significantly lower in ADHD group than in controls. No significant difference was observed between groups in terms of RNFL thickness, macular thickness, the corneal diameter, and anterior chamber depth measurements. CONCLUSION: In recent years, the use of OCT in neuropsychiatric diseases has increased the interest in identifying possible biomarkers and the elucidation of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental mechanisms that contribute to the nature of these diseases. Differences in the ophthalmic anatomical structures observed between healthy controls and cases with ADHD, which is a neurodevelopmental disorder, need to be supported by longitudinal studies with a larger sample and using OCT in connection with brain imaging.

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