A survey of ocular complaints in postmenopausal women

Aging patients often complain about chronic ocular irritation, which is commonly related to dryness of the eyes. To determine the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on ocular complaints and tear production, we compared these parameters in postmenopausal women who were taking or not taking HRT. A questionnaire was administered to determine the number of ophthalmic complaints of 79 women who were postmenopausal at least 1 year (mean, 22 +/- 13.5 years) and were not using any ophthalmic drops or medication known to contribute to dry eyes. A Schirmer test with anesthesia was performed on each subject to quantify tear production. We found that the number of ophthalmic complaints of women taking HRT was statistically fewer (P = 0.015) than women not taking HRT. Women taking HRT for 5 years or longer had statistically fewer complaints and greater tear production, as measured by the Schirmer test, than women taking HRT for 5 years or less. The study concluded that women taking HRT have significantly fewer ocular complaints than women not taking HRT. HRT may help alleviate symptoms related to ocular dryness in postmenopausal women.