Abstract
Purpose :
To determine the association of climatic and environmental factors on the
prevalence, types and severity of dry eye disease in Chinese subjects aged 50 or
above.
Methods :
This is a cross-sectional random population-based study on Chinese
subjects aged 50 and above between the 27 September 2021 and 31 st of August 2022.
In total, 602 consecutive subjects underwent comprehensive dry eye assessment in
order from least invasive to most invasive, including dry eye questionnaire (OSDI
score), Non-invasive keratographic tear breakup time, tear meniscus height, tear
breakup pattern, SMTube, NEI cornea staining score. The definition of dry eye was
adopted from Asia Dry eye Society. Data from Hong Kong Observatory, including
temperature, relative humidity, air quality index was extracted and compared with dry
eye prevalence and severity data.
Results :
A total of 602 consecutive subjects were enrolled in the study. mean age was
62.6 (± 7.20) years. Overall, 19.5% had dry eye disease (OSDI>/=13 and TBUT <10s).
Among dry eye patients, random break was the most common tear breakup pattern,
accounting for 62% of cases. There were significant differences in dry eye prevalence
and severity between seasons. Dry eye prevalence was lowest in the community
during the summer season, at 18%, and highest in the winter season, at 21%. There
was significant positive correlation between average TBUT and humidity levels and
significant negative correlation between average cornea staining score and humidity
levels. Environmental temperature positively correlated with SM tube reading and
meibum expressibility score, and negatively correlated with average cornea staining
score. There were no significant correlation between air quality indices and dry eye
parameters.
Conclusions :
Dry eye prevalence and severity differed between seasonal variations in
temperature and local humidity levels.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.