Clinico-etiological study of dry eye in hospital based population

The aim of his study was to find out the prevalence of dry eye and evaluate various risk factors attributable to dry eye in hospital based population. In this cross sectional study, 150 patients above 21 years of age are included based on dry eye questionnaire, and various tests including tear breakup time (TBUT), schirmer's test, tear meniscus height, lissamine green staining along wih presence of strands/filaments. The prevalence of dry eye was 24.4%. It was significantly higher in females (25.5%) than in males (19.8%) and is more common in rural (23.2%) than in urban population. Excessive wind, smoking, and patients on medications (systemic or topical) are more associated with dry eye. Dry eye is a under diagnosed ocular disorder. Reduction in modifiable risk factors of dry eye is essential to reduce its prevalence.