[Epidemiologic study of dry eye in populations equal or over 20 years old in Jiangning District of Shanghai]

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of dry eye in populations equal or over 20 years old in Jiangning District, Shanghai, China.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. From September 2008 to January 2009, 6 small districts including 21,102 people of Jiangning District were randomly selected as survey venues by Department of Ophthalmology in First People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University. Then, 1266 people as the selected residents were enrolled, which was figured out through the random cluster sampling procedure. Every participant completed dry eye questionnaire, the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), and a series of examination including slit-lamp microscope, tear-film break-up time (BUT) , Schirmer I test, and fluorescein staining of the cornea (F1). The diagnosis of dry eye was referred to the well-accepted domestic diagnostic criteria The SPSS11. 0 software was used to analyze the database, t . test, chi2 test, one-way-ANOVA and Logistic regression were used for analysis.

Results: One thousand and eighty five residents finally took part in this study, and the inclusion ratio was 85.70%. Three hundred and twenty six individuals, including 101 men and 225 women, were diagnosed as dry eye, and the prevalence rate was 30.05%. The prevalence of dry eye in the female (33.78%) was higher than that of the male (24.11%) (chi2 = 11.46, P < 0.01). The prevalence of dry eye in people over 50 years old was higher than that under 50 years (chi2 = 94.50, P < 0.01). The figure of Schirmer I test and BUT decreased in elder people, at the same time the scores of Fl and MGD increased. Meanwhile, the score of OSDI in dry eye patients was significantly higher than that in non-dry eye individuals. The relative risk factors of dry eye were gender, age, wearing contact lens, long-time using of eye solutions, taking anti-allergy drugs.

Conclusions: The prevalence of dry eye in female is higher than that in the male. And the prevalence of dry eye increases following the aging process. Relative risk factors of dry eye are gender, age, wearing contact lens, long-time using of eye solutions, taking anti-allergy drugs.