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Dry eye in diabetic patients.
Igor Kaiserman1, Nadia Kaiserman, Sasson Nakar
1Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel. Igor@Dr-Kaiserman.com
American Journal of Ophthalmology
|March 16, 2005
Summary
Diabetic patients have a higher prevalence of dry eye disease (keratoconjunctivitis sicca). Poor glycemic control in diabetes is linked to increased use of artificial tears, indicating a correlation between blood sugar levels and dry eye symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Endocrinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Dry eye disease, or keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), is a common ocular surface condition.
- Diabetes mellitus is a systemic disease with numerous potential complications, including ocular manifestations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of KCS in a large cohort of diabetic patients.
- To compare the KCS prevalence in diabetic patients to the general population.
- To explore the relationship between glycemic control and KCS in diabetic individuals.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, observational cohort study was conducted.
- Electronic medical records of 159,634 individuals over 50 years old were analyzed.
- 22,382 diabetic patients were compared with nondiabetic individuals regarding ocular lubrication use.
Main Results:
- Diabetic patients showed a significantly higher rate of ocular lubrication use (20.6%) compared to nondiabetic patients (13.8%).
- This increased prevalence was consistent across all age groups and both sexes.
- Ocular lubrication consumption positively correlated with poorer glycemic control (higher HbA1c levels), independent of other demographic factors.
Conclusions:
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca is significantly more prevalent in patients with diabetes.
- Suboptimal glycemic control in diabetes is associated with increased artificial tear usage.
- These findings highlight the importance of managing blood sugar levels to potentially mitigate dry eye symptoms in diabetic patients.