Estimating the prevalence of dry eye among patients attending a tertiary ophthalmology clinic in Eastern India

Authors

  • Suman Adhikari ICARE Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Banbishnupur, Purba Medinipur – 721 645, West Bengal, India. Phone: +91-9851158788
  • Avirupa Kansha Banik ESI-PGIMSR, ESIC Medical College and ESIC Hospital Joka, Joka, Kolkata – 700 104, West Bengal, India,
  • Shyamali Datta Shri Ramkrishna Institute of Medical Sciences and Sanaka Hospitals, Malandighi, Kanksha, Durgapur – 713 212, West Bengal, India
  • Nilanjan Datta Dinhata Sub-divisional Hospital, Hospital more, Ward Number 2, Dinhata – 736 135, West Bengal, India
  • Nivedita Choudhury Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College and LSK Hospital, Purabbali, Dinajpur Road, Kishanganj – 855 108, Bihar, India
  • Kallol Mukherjee Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College and LSK Hospital, Purabbali, Dinajpur Road, Kishanganj – 855 108, Bihar, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21276/apjhs.2018.5.1.45

Keywords:

Dry eye, Eastern India, objective dry eye tests, prevalence, symptoms

Abstract

Background: Dry eye disease is a common multifactorial problem with increasing worldwide prevalence. Keeping all these facts in mind, the present study was undertaken to assess the magnitude of the problem reigning in this region. The present study was done to determine the prevalence, clinical features, and diagnostic test of dry eye disease in symptomatic patients attending the outpatient Department (OPD) of Ophthalmology, Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College and L.S.K. Hospital, Kishanganj, Bihar.
Materials and Methods: An effort was made to formulate a better approach for diagnosis and management of dry eye. In this hospital-based study, patients of aged >20 years and both sexes presenting with symptoms related to dry eye were subjected to a detailed history taking and a thorough ocular examination under a slit lamp biomicroscope. Then, a series of objective dry eye test was conducted in the following sequence: Tear meniscus height, tear break-up time test fluorescein staining, Schirmer’s I test, and rose Bengal staining.
Results: The prevalence of dry eye in the ophthalmology OPD, Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College, Kishanganj, was found to be 52%. The prevalence of dry eye increased progressively with age having a peak in the age group >70 years was 11.4%. The prevalence of dry eye was found to be higher in females (31.2%) than in males (20.8%). A higher prevalence of dry eye was found in rural residents (36%) than in urban dwellers (16%).
Conclusion: Dry eye is an increasingly prevalent multifactorial condition. Subjective symptoms of dryness can hide diseases other than dry eye. Hence, combined clinical and laboratory tests are required to make a diagnosis coupled with a proper understanding of the subject. The prevalence of dry eye falls within the range of previous reported studies. Further studies are needed to determine whether this is due to racial or environmental factors. More research is needed to delve into the causes of dry eye to have a proper overview of the existing problem to enable the development of new treatments with promising effectiveness.

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Author Biographies

Suman Adhikari, ICARE Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Banbishnupur, Purba Medinipur – 721 645, West Bengal, India. Phone: +91-9851158788

Department of Ophthalmology

Avirupa Kansha Banik, ESI-PGIMSR, ESIC Medical College and ESIC Hospital Joka, Joka, Kolkata – 700 104, West Bengal, India,

Department of Ophthalmology

Shyamali Datta, Shri Ramkrishna Institute of Medical Sciences and Sanaka Hospitals, Malandighi, Kanksha, Durgapur – 713 212, West Bengal, India

Department of Pediatrics

Nilanjan Datta, Dinhata Sub-divisional Hospital, Hospital more, Ward Number 2, Dinhata – 736 135, West Bengal, India

Department of ENT

Nivedita Choudhury, Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College and LSK Hospital, Purabbali, Dinajpur Road, Kishanganj – 855 108, Bihar, India

Department of Ophthalmology

Kallol Mukherjee, Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College and LSK Hospital, Purabbali, Dinajpur Road, Kishanganj – 855 108, Bihar, India

Department of Ophthalmology

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Published

2018-03-30

How to Cite

Suman Adhikari, Avirupa Kansha Banik, Shyamali Datta, Nilanjan Datta, Nivedita Choudhury, & Kallol Mukherjee. (2018). Estimating the prevalence of dry eye among patients attending a tertiary ophthalmology clinic in Eastern India. Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences, 5(1), 202–207. https://doi.org/10.21276/apjhs.2018.5.1.45