Abstract
Purpose :
The discrepancy between subjective symptoms and clinical signs in dry eye (DE) has previously been reported. In this study, we compared the subjective symptoms related to eye pain between two different DE subtypes, i.e., aqueous tear deficiency DE (ATDDE) and short breakup time DE (SBUTDE), using Dry Eye-Related Quality-of-Life Score (DEQS）and visual analogue scale (VAS).
Methods :
This study involved 31 eyes of 31 ATD patients [fluorescein breakup time (FBUT)≦5sec；ocular surface epithelial damage (OSED) score≧3; Schirmer1 test (ST1)≦5mm; 2 males and 29 females; mean age: 67.5 years] and 42 eyes of 42 SBUTDE patients (FBUT≦5sec, OSED score <3, ST1 >5mm; 7 males and 35 females; mean age: 59.9 years). Symptoms possibly related to eye pain including “grittiness” (“sensation of something in your eye” indicated in DEQS) and “sore eyes” from DEQS [column A (frequency 0-4), column B (severity：1-4)] and VAS (0: no symptoms; 100 mm: maximum symptoms) were compared between the two dry eye subtypes.
Results :
No significant differences were found in “sore eyes” with VAS and DEQS (both column A and B) between the two groups, however, the VAS and DEQS (both column A and B) scores for “grittiness” were significantly greater in the ATDDE group than in the SBUTDE group (all p<0.05).
Conclusions :
Considering the difference of the diagnostic criteria and the difference of the current results between the two DE subtypes ATDDE and SBUTDE, decreased tear volume and ocular surface epithelial damage might be related to the symptom of “grittiness”, while instability of precorneal tear film might be related to the symptom of “sore eyes”.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.