Purpose
To determine the prevalence of dry eye syndrome and its relationship to socio-demographic and metabolic risk factors
Methods
Population based study in Tlaxcala Mexico. Inclusion criteria: individuals ≥ 50 years. 2400 individuals were eligible for the study. 1619 agreed to participate. General health questionnaire, height, weight, waist circumference, capillary glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, corrected and uncorrected visual acuity were assessed. Blood and urine samples were collected and analysed for the presence of diabetes, its complications and dyslipidaemias. The prevalence of dry eye was evaluated through Dry Eye Questionnaire (DEQ-5) previously validated in Mexican population. Dry eye syndrome was defined as having a score ≥ 6. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA v.12. Crude and adjusted prevalence were calculated. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of risk factors.
Results
The final study population consisted of 968 women (mean age 63.8 ± 10.3) and 651 men (mean age 65.9 ± 10.8). Type 2 Diabetes was present 31.62 % (n = 512). The 39.6% (n = 642) of the patients had score ≥6 on DEQ-5. Mean DEQ-5 in the study sample was 5.3 ± 4.5. Women were 2.9 times more likely to present dry eye than men (CI 95% 1.13 - 7.69, p = 0.028). Women were 46% more likely to present ≥6-11 score (CI 95% 11-92, p = 0.007) and 89% more likely to have a score ≥12 (CI 95 % 1.19 - 3.1, p = 0.008) than men. For every 5 years of diabetes duration there was a 17% increased risk of dry eye syndrome (p = 0.005).
Conclusions
Dry eye syndrome is a prevalent disease in adult Mexican population. Long standing Diabetes increases the risk of having dry eye symptoms.
Keywords: 486 cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye •
479 cornea: clinical science •
463 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence