Dry eye disease treatment following refractive surgery among young patients: a population-based study

To evaluate the demand for dry eye disease (DED) lubricating eye drop treatment following refractive surgery among young patients.

This study involved Israeli adolescents and young adults aged 16-20 years who underwent systematic medical evaluations from 2011 to 2019. Refractive surgery status was determined based on medical records. Lubricating eye drop usage was monitored through computerized dispensation data over a three-year period. Regression models, stratified by sex and adjusted for sociodemographic variables, were used.

Among 591,919 individuals (57.4% male, mean age 17.2 years), 4571 (0.8%) underwent refractive surgery. Lubricating eye drop usage was observed in 1.4% of men and 2.3% of women, with higher proportions in the refractive surgery group (4.0% vs. 1.4% and 9.5% vs. 2.3% for men and women, respectively; p < 0.001). Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for increased DED treatment durations in men were 2.34 (95% CI 1.94-2.83) for ≤3 months, 5.22 (95% CI 3.43-7.94) for 3 to 12 months, and 5.79 (95% CI 3.69-9.09) for over 12 months. For women, aORs were 3.68 (95% CI 2.50-5.41) for ≤3 months, 6.06 (95% CI 2.50-14.73) for 3-12 months, and 11.57 (95% CI 4.74-28.25) for over 12 months.

Young patients after refractive surgery are significantly more likely to require DED lubricating eye drops for over a year following the procedure.