Prevalence of Dry Eye Disease in Visual Display Terminal Users: Osaka Study

Abstract

Purpose: : To estimate the prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease (DED) in visual display terminal (VDT) users.

Methods: : Six hundred seventy-two Japanese young and middle-aged office workers using VDT were recruited in this study. Office workers completed questionnaires sent by e-mail designed to detect dry eye diagnosis and risk factors. Dry eye tests, including the Schirmer test, tear film break up time, fluorescein and lisamine staining were performed. The questionnaire included subjective symptoms, age, sex, height, weight, VDT working hours, environmental factors, systemic illness, the existence of smoking, and contact lens (CL) use history. The Japanese dry eye diagnostic criteria revised in 2006 was followed.

Results: : Of the 672 office workers, 561 subjects (male: 374, female: 187), completed the questionnaire and the response rate was 83.5%.Seventy-two subjects (12.8%, 33 males (8.8%) and 39 females (20.9%)) were diagnosed as definite dry eye disease, 360 subjects (66.8%, 250 men and 110 women) were diagnosed as probable dry eye disease. The odds ratios of definite dry eye disease + probable dry eye disease was 1.26 in female, the odds ratio of CL use was 1.35, and CL user has significantly higher prevalence of DED.Although the average of the Schirmer examination was as normal as 18.7±11.7 mm, the average tear breakup time was 4.3 ±2.7 seconds in males 3.4 ±1.9 seconds in females, and both groups showed very shortened BUT.

Conclusions: : There were many probable dry eye disease in VDT users, and female and CL use was a common dry eye risk factor for dry eye disease.

Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment • cornea: clinical science