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Pediatric dry eye: A hospital-based study
Snehal Thakre1, Vaishnavi Wankhede, Pradnya Deshmukh
1Department of Ophthalmology, MGM Medical College and Hospital, (A Constituent Unit of MGM Institute of Health Sciences, Navi Mumbai), Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
Insights
Dry eye disease (DED) affects 7.60% of pediatric patients, with evaporative DED linked to allergic conjunctivitis and digital device use. This highlights the need to consider DED in children with eye complaints.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Health
- Ocular Surface Disease
Background:
- Dry eye disease (DED) is increasingly recognized in pediatric populations.
- Understanding the prevalence and risk factors for DED in children is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the hospital-based prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) in children aged 4 to 18 years.
- To identify associated risk factors contributing to DED in this pediatric cohort.
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational case series involved 1,420 pediatric patients at a tertiary care center.
- Screening included questionnaires and diagnostic tests like OSDI, Schirmer's test, and TBUT.
- Comprehensive ocular examinations were performed for diagnosis.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of confirmed DED was 7.60% (108 out of 1420 children).
- Key associations included seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (63.88%) and prolonged digital device use (smartphones, TV).
- Evaporative DED was the predominant type (92.59%).
Conclusions:
- Dry eye disease (DED) should be considered in pediatric patients with nonspecific ocular symptoms.
- Allergic conjunctivitis and extensive use of digital screens are significant risk factors for evaporative DED in children.
Purpose:
To assess the hospital-based prevalence of dry eye disease (DED) among children aged 4 to 18 years and to identify associated risk factors.
Methods:
A prospective observational case series was conducted at a tertiary care center. A total of 1,420 pediatric patients attending the ophthalmology outpatient department were initially screened using a symptom-based questionnaire. Those with suggestive symptoms underwent further evaluation, including the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Schirmer's test, tear film break-up time (TBUT), fluorescein and lissamine green staining, and a comprehensive ocular examination.
Results:
Of the total 1420 children, 124 reported symptoms consistent with DED, and 108 (7.60%) were confirmed to have dry eye. The male-to-female ratio was 2.08:1, with a mean age of 11.40 ± 3.86 years. Among affected children, 85.18% had OSDI scores between 33 and 100, and 14.81% scored between 23 and 32. Notably, 46.29% of patients used smartphones, 68.04% watched television for 1-2 h daily, and 63.88% were diagnosed with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. Comorbidities included hematological malignancies (n = 3) and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (n = 1). The mean Schirmer's test values were 30.33 ± 8.05 mm (right eye [RE]) and 30.68 ± 8.03 mm (left eye [LE]). The mean TBUT was 6.66 ± 2.32 s (RE) and 7.53 ± 3.16 s (LE). Most patients (92.59%) had evaporative DED, while 7.40% had the mixed type.
Conclusion:
DED should be considered in children presenting with nonspecific ocular complaints. Evaporative dry eye in this population is strongly associated with allergic conjunctivitis and prolonged use of digital devices.
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