Abstract
Purpose :
To assess the prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) and Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) in a population in Russia.
Methods :
The population-based Ural Eye and Medical Study was conducted in an urban and rural region in Bashkortostan/Russia and included 5,899 (80.5%) out of 7328 eligible persons, aged 40+ years. DED and MGD were assessed by Schirmer's test, slit-lamp based examination of the Meibomian glands, and an interview with DED-related questions.
Results :
The study included 5153 (87.4%) individuals with DED and MGD assessments (mean age:58.5±10.5 years). Schirmer's test in the worse eye (mean:10.7±6.3mm) was ≤5 mm in 1098 participants (21.3%;95% confidence intervals (CI):20.2,22.4), and the mean subjective dry eye symptoms score was 1.37±1.82. MGD grade 1 (telangiectasia at the lid margin), grade 2 (plugged Meibomian gland orifices with translucent serous secretion when the lid margin was compressed), grade 3 (plugged Meibomian gland orifices with viscous or waxy white secretion when the lid margin was compressed), grade 4 (plugged Meibomian gland orifices and no secretion when the lid margin was compressed), or any grade in the worse eye was diagnosed in 901 (21.1%), 1161 (27.1%), 158 (3.7%), 32 (0.7%), and 2252 (52.6%;95%CI:51.1,54.1) eyes respectively. The prevalence of DED diagnosis #1, #2 and #3 (Schirmer's test ≤5 mm, and dry eye score ≥1, ≥2, and ≥3, respectively), #4 (dry eye score ≥1, Schirmer test ≤5 mm, MGD grade 1+), and #5 (dry eye score ≥1, Schirmer test ≤5 mm, MGD grade 2+) were 598/5142 (11.6%), 426/5153 (8.3%), 273/5142 (5.3%), 335/5142 (6.5%), and 186/5142 (3.6%), respectively. Higher DED prevalence (definition #4) was associated (multivariable analysis) with female sex (odds ratio (OR):1.71;95%CI:1.31,2.22; P<0.001), higher depression score (OR:1.04;95%CI:101,1.07; P=0.009), and higher prevalence of thyroid disease history (OR:1.63; 95%CI: 1.19, 2.24; P=0.006).
Conclusions :
DED and MGD were common in this rural and urban population, and their prevalence was associated with female sex, thyroid disease, and depression.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.