Prevalence of dry eye disease in patients on anti-depressants

• Author Details:   
• Arun Kumar A
• Irshad E
• Jithu V P

---

Introduction: Dry eye is a complex multifactorial disease which forms a major proportion of ophthalmology out patients. Most of the patients are on chronic medications including psychiatric drugs. So prevalence of dry eye was studied in psychiatric patients on antidepressants.
Methods: A cross sectional comparative study was conducted among 22 patients / 21 controls in a tertiary eye care hospital in Northern Kerala for a period of 1 year by assessing Ocular surface disease index score/Tear film break up time/ Schirmer test .Association of age gender, smoking, alcoholism, with dry eye disease was also studied.
Results: Study showed a statistically significant correlation between antidepressant medications and dry eye with a P value of 0.012. Tricyclic anti-depressants contributed the majority for dry eye followed by selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Females, old age and smoking showed high prevalence. Schirmer test was found to be 100% sensitive and specific and TBUT; 35% sensitive and 100% specific.
Conclusion: Prevalence of dry eye disease is 50 % in patients on antidepressants compared to 14.2 % in control group. Schirmer test can be effectively used in patients for early detection of dry eye disease. The drugs with least side effects can be selected and treatment modified accordingly.

Keywords: Dry eye disease, Ocular surface index score, Schirmer test, Tear film break up time.