Dry Eye- Prevalence and Attributable Risk Factors in a Hospital-Based Population

Abstract

BACKGROUND Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that results in symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance and tear film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface.The aim is to study the prevalence of dry eye and evaluate various risk factors attributable to dry eye in a hospital-based population. MATERIALS AND METHODSA hospital-based population study was performed. In this cross-sectional study, 150 patients above 20 years of age of either sex, presenting with various ophthalmic complaints, were screened for dry eye who presented to the Department of Ophthalmology, Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, between May 2015 and November 2017. Patients were included based on a standardised validated dry eye questionnaire, underwent various tests including tear breakup time (TBUT), Schirmer's test, Rose Bengal staining and presence of strands and/or filaments in either/both eyes. RESULTSThe prevalence of dry eye was 16%. It was significantly higher in males (16.4%) than in females (15.5%). Dry eye prevalence was maximum in those above 60 years of age (36.4%) followed by the age group 41-60 years (17.9%). Those with other refractive conditions constituted 46.67%, emmetropia 34%, myopia 8%, hypermetropia 6% and astigmatism 5.33%. CONCLUSIONDry eye is an underdiagnosed ocular disorder. The multifactorial aetiopathogenesis explains by itself why the clinical diagnosis of dry eye remains a challenge. Reduction in modifiable risk factors of dry eye is essential to reduce its prevalence. KEYWORDSDry Eye, Tear Film Break-Up Time, Schirmer's Test, Rose Bengal Staining, Dry Eye Questionnaire. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Muniswamy K, Mishra P, Manavalan S. Dry eye-Prevalence and attributable risk factors in a hospitalbased population. J. Evolution Med. Dent. Sci. 2017;6(95):6987-6989, DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2017/1516 BACKGROUND Dry eye is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface that results in symptoms of discomfort, visual disturbance and tear film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface. It is accompanied by increased osmolarity of the tear film and inflammation of the ocular surface. 1 The prevalence of dry eyes varies from 10.5% to 66.6%, thereby exhibiting wide range of disparity. 2-4 Much of this difference arises from the fact that there is no standardisation of the types of patients selected for the study, dry eye questionnaires, objective tests and dry eye diagnostic criteria. Our aim was to determine dry eye prevalence, evaluate risk factors attributable to dry eye in a hospital-based population.