The Effect of Low-Dose Aspirin on Dry Eye Parameters and Ocular Surface Disease Index Questionnaire

To evaluate the effects of acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) on tear film parameters and dry eye disease.

Fifty-seven patients using low-dose aspirin regularly for antiaggregant purposes as well as 49 controls, who required antiaggregant treatment but who had not yet started, were included in the study. Tear osmolarity, tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer and Oxford grading of ocular surface staining were performed on all patients and dry eye symptomatology was assessed using the ocular surface disease index questionnaire (OSDI).

The mean osmolarity was 302.11 ± 16.22 mOsm/L in the aspirin group and 313.88 ± 19.57 mOsm/L in the control group (P < 0.01). The mean Schirmer's score was 24.16 ± 10.52 mm and 21.94 ± 10.11 mm (P = 0.232), TBUT was 13.61 ± 3.31 s and 10.39 ± 4.46 s (P < 0.01), OSDI score was 5.15 ± 5.98 and 16.94 ± 14.17 (P < 0.01), and Oxford score was 0.12 ± 0.33 and 0.12 ± 0.44 in aspirin and control groups, respectively (P = 0.99). Dry eye diagnosis was lower in the aspirin group, but statistical significance was present only in TBUT and osmolarity-based dry eye diagnosis (P ≤ 0.01). In terms of symptom-based dry eye diagnosis with the threshold of OSDI ≥23, none of the aspirin group had dry eye diagnosis, whereas 32.6% of the control group had the diagnosis (P < 0.01).

The use of low-dose aspirin might be great option for treatment of ocular surface inflammatory disease through increasing TBUT and decreasing tear osmolarity with a resultant symptomatic satisfaction.