[Analysis of incidence of ocular surface disease index with objective tests and treatment for dry eye]

To correlate ocular surface disease index (OSDI) with objective tests on patients with dry eye on first consultation and evaluate the efficiency of topical medication administered depending on severity of symptoms reported by patients who were evaluated at 3 months.

We studied a sample of 144 patients with dry eye who were evaluated with OSDI and basic diagnostic tests at first consultation: Height of lacrimal meniscus, Schirmer II test (with anesthetic), Break-up time test (BUT), and lissamine green staining. The sample was divided into four groups depending on clinical severity, taking into account results of OSDI questionnaire. Treatment was determined for each group taking into account lubricant viscosity properties: OSDI (mild) = carboxymethylcelullose, OSDI (moderate) = hidroxypropylmethylcelullose, OSDI (severe) = polyethyleneglycol and OSDI (very severe) = polyethyleneglycol + cyclosporine A 0.05%. Final OSDI was established for 56 patients who were assessed at 3 months.

Results of objective tests at first consult showed a correlation between the severity of symptoms and the grade of lissamine green staining (p = 0.0421). We found significant improvement in OSDI values after topical treatment was administered in all groups of patients (p = 0.0066) at three months post treatment.

Conjuntival lissamine green staining is a useful guideline that could be routinely used to confirm diagnosis in subjective evaluations and patient follow-up. Patients with dry eye show a decrease in OSDI after being treated with the appropriate medication prescribed for each particular group, depending on severity.