Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Oct 11;13(20):6060.
doi: 10.3390/jcm13206060.

Understanding the Dry Eye Disease-Related Symptoms in South America: Prevalence and Associated Factors-A Systematic Review

Valentina Loaiza-Guevara  1 , Camila Salazar-Santoliva  2 , Alvaro J Villota-Arevalo  3 , Marjorie E Acosta-Villas  4 , Betty-Liliana Coral-Gaón  3 , Jesús E Afanador  5 , Natalia Restrepo  1 , Laurens L Hernandez-Benitez  6 , Wendy Rincón Hernández  7 , Laura C Caceres-Delgado  8 , Juan S Izquierdo-Condoy  2
Affiliations
Review

Understanding the Dry Eye Disease-Related Symptoms in South America: Prevalence and Associated Factors-A Systematic Review

Valentina Loaiza-Guevara et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Dry eye disease is a leading cause of ophthalmologic consultations worldwide and can significantly impact quality of life. While global prevalence rates vary widely, data specific to South America are limited. This systematic review aims to describe and analyze the prevalence and associated factors of dry eye disease-related symptoms in South American populations. Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic review was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and LILACS. Primary studies in English and Spanish that examined the prevalence of dry eye disease-related symptoms in South American populations and its associated factors were included without date restrictions. Studies were screened and selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in the final inclusion of 16 studies from six South American countries. Results: This review identified significant variability in the prevalence of dry eye disease-related symptoms in South American populations in the region, ranging from 4% to 77.5%, with a mean prevalence of 39.3%. Higher prevalence rates were observed among specific groups, such as university students (58.6%) and administrative workers (57.9%). Factors associated with dry eye disease-related symptoms in South American populations included female sex, older age, prolonged screen time, insufficient sleep, and medical conditions such as hypertension, connective tissue disorders, and the use of medications like antihypertensives and antidepressants. Conclusions: The prevalence of dry eye disease-related symptoms in South American populations is notably higher than global averages, highlighting regional challenges. This study emphasizes the need for standardized diagnostic tools and comprehensive epidemiological research across South America, particularly in underrepresented countries, to inform public health strategies tailored to the specific needs of these populations.

Keywords: South America; associated factors; dry eye disease; prevalence.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flowchart illustrating the study selection process for this systematic review, detailing the number of studies screened, assessed for eligibility, and included in the review, with reasons for exclusions at each stage.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Prevalence of symptoms related to dry eye disease in South America. (A) Distribution of the prevalence of dry eye disease-related symptoms by country. (B) Distribution of the prevalence of symptoms related to dry eye disease according to the diagnostic method used.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Symptoms and signs identified in patients with dry eye disease-related symptoms in South America. This figure was constructed using data from the studies of Dias D. et al., Solórzano-Fernández A. et al., Ulloa S. et al., Pérez C.M. and Alvarez D., and Vera F. et al. [19,20,22,23,25], and includes data from individuals in Brazil, Venezuela, and Ecuador. The arrow shows the percentage of dry eye disease symptoms among the Intensive Care Unit population.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Tsubota K., Pflugfelder S.C., Liu Z., Baudouin C., Kim H.M., Messmer E.M., Kruse F., Liang L., Carreno-Galeano J.T., Rolando M., et al. Defining Dry Eye from a Clinical Perspective. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020;21:9271. doi: 10.3390/ijms21239271. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Amescua G., Ahmad S., Cheung A.Y., Choi D.S., Jhanji V., Lin A., Mian S.I., Rhee M.K., Viriya E.T., Mah F.S., et al. Dry Eye Syndrome Preferred Practice Pattern®. Ophthalmology. 2024;131:P1–P49. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2023.12.041. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Sheppard J., Shen Lee B., Periman L.M. Dry Eye Disease: Identification and Therapeutic Strategies for Primary Care Clinicians and Clinical Specialists. Ann. Med. 2023;55:241–252. doi: 10.1080/07853890.2022.2157477. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Stapleton F., Alves M., Bunya V.Y., Jalbert I., Lekhanont K., Malet F., Na K.-S., Schaumberg D., Uchino M., Vehof J., et al. TFOS DEWS II Epidemiology Report. Ocul. Surf. 2017;15:334–365. doi: 10.1016/j.jtos.2017.05.003. - DOI - PubMed
    1. McCann P., Abraham A.G., Mukhopadhyay A., Panagiotopoulou K., Chen H., Rittiphairoj T., Gregory D.G., Hauswirth S.G., Ifantides C., Qureshi R., et al. Prevalence and Incidence of Dry Eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in the United States. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2022;140:1181–1192. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.4394. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources