Tear Film Lipid Layer Observations in Dry Eye Associated With Visual Display Terminal Work

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: In office workers using visual display terminal (VDT), the prevalence of evaporative dry eye is reported to be high. To evaluate the tear film lipid layer in VDT workers, we used tear lipid layer interference camera, DR–1 (Kowa, Japan), in the medical checkup. Methods: Office workers who used computers more than 2 hours per day, more than 40 hours per month were enrolled. In 90 eyes of 45 office workers, we assessed symptoms, tear interference grade (Yokoi’s DR–1 grading), lipid layer thickness, fluorescein scores, tear break–up time (BUT) and the meibom expressibility. Results:21 of 45 (46.7%) subjects had dry eye symptoms. In DR–1 grading, 85 of 90 (94.4%) were grade1 or 2, 5 of 90 (5.6%) were grade3 or 4. The lipid layer thickness was decreased (<60nm) in 82 of 90 (91.1%) and was abnormally increased in 5 of 90 (5.6%). According to DR–1 grading, in grade1 or 2 the average of the lipid layer thickness was 39.6 ± 10.2 nm. In grade3 or 4, the average of the lipid layer thickness was 190.4nm ± 17.8 nm. In 72 of 90 (80%), BUT was shortened and the average was 3.6±1.9 second. The average of the meibum expressibility score was 0.96±0.94. Conclusions: In this study, the abnormalities of the tear film lipid layer, which was mainly decreased, and the rest showed the increase, were seen by high rate. It was suggested that tear lipid layer thickness affects the dry eye in VDT work..

Keywords: cornea: tears/tear film/dry eye • cornea: clinical science