Diabetes mellitus is associated with dry eye syndrome: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Dry eye is the most common eye disorder of tears and ocular surface. However, the extent to which diabetes mellitus may confer risk of dry eye remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis that synthesizes the association between diabetes mellitus and dry eye.

METHODS

Case-control studies were selected from the Medline, Embase, Cochrane database from January 2000 to March 2018. Two reviewers screened potential studies, and eligible studies were included according to keywords and predefined criteria. We calculated the overall risk estimates by using a fixed-effect model or a random-effects model in relation to heterogeneity.

RESULTS

A total of four studies were included in our meta-analysis consisting of 2,504,794 persons. Our study showed a significant association between diabetes mellitus and the risk of dry eye syndrome (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.08-1.57; P value = 0.006). However, the heterogeneity was observed (P value < 0.001, I² = 95.2%).

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis suggests that diabetes mellitus has a significant association with the risk of dry eye. However, this result is limited by heterogeneity. Further prospective and concise studies are needed to confirm the association between diabetes mellitus and dry eye.

Factors Associated with Dry Eye Symptoms in Elderly Koreans: the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012

Background

Dry eye disease is an aging-related ophthalmic disease that not only affects the daily activities but also causes deterioration in the quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with dry eye symptoms in elderly Koreans.

Methods

We investigated 4,185 subjects (men=1,787 and women=2,398) aged ≥65 years from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010−2012. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regressions to identify the relationships between dry eye symptoms and other factors.

Results

The prevalence of dry eye symptoms was 17.9%. After adjustment for confounding factors, dry eye symptoms were significantly associated with female sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.806; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.410−2.313), a history of cataract (aOR, 1.683; 95% CI, 1.255−2.255), suicidal ideation (aOR, 1.414; 95% CI, 1.070−1.870), hypercholesterolemia (aOR, 1.289; 95% CI, 1.025−1.621), age ≥80 years (aOR, 0.538; 95% CI, 0.337−0.859), and sleep duration ≥9 h/d (aOR, 0.524; 95% CI, 0.330−0.834).

Conclusion

Among elderly Koreans, female sex, a history of cataract, suicidal ideation, and hypercholesterolemia may be the risk factors for dry eye symptoms, whereas sleep duration ≥9 h/d can be a protective factor against dry eye symptoms.

Lower Lid Laxity is Negatively Correlated with Improvement of the Ocular Surface Disease Index in Dry Eye Treatment

PURPOSE

To compare the responses to dry eye treatment of patients sorted by the degree of lower lid laxity.

METHODS

Sixty patients were grouped into three groups according to the degree of lower lid laxity. Tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer test (ST) scores, ocular surface disease index (OSDI) scores, and changes in OSDI score in each group were compared, before and at 3 months after treatment.

RESULTS

TBUT, ST, and OSDI scores were not different among the three groups at baseline. TBUT improved in each group at 3 months after treatment, and no differences between groups were found. ST scores were not increased after treatment, while OSDI were improved to 22.57 ± 5.243, 31.16 ± 11.353, and 37.85 ± 13.342 in the no, moderate, and high laxity groups, respectively; these improvements were statistically significant (p = 0.003, <0.001, <0.001, respectively). Patients with greater than moderate lower lid laxity saw the smallest improvement in response to dry eye treatment, as assessed by change in OSDI score (p = 0.005 versus moderate laxity group, p = 0.005 versus no laxity group).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower lid laxity is one of the factors contributing to the responses to dry eye treatment assessed by change in OSDI score, independent of TBUT and ST scores.