Mdlalose Phindile P, Moodley Vanessa R
Department of Optometry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Keratoconus Foundation South Africa, Durban, South Africa.
Health SA. 2025 Feb 21;30:2793. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v30i0.2793. eCollection 2025.
Dry eye, a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface, is considered a significantly growing public health problem worldwide.
This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of dry eye disease (DED) in a population attending an eye hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The study was conducted at McCord Provincial Eye Hospital in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted between July 2023 and August 2023. Diagnosis was confirmed with a SPEED score of ≥ 4 and a monocular tear break up time (TBUT) ≤ 10 s or Schirmer 2 ≤ 15 mm/5 min. Data were managed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 28.
The overall prevalence of DED was 82.3% and highest in those > 65 years of age (odds ratios [OR] = 3.17; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.45-6.94; = 0.04). Risk factors significantly associated with DED were age ( < 0.009), systemic diseases (diabetes [ < 0.01], HIV [ < 0.02], hypertension [ < 0.02] and medication [ < 0.01]).
The study revealed a high DED prevalence, which increased with age. Diabetes, hypertension and HIV were identified as significant risk factors for DED. Routine tear function evaluation should be an integral part of the assessment protocols of these highly susceptible patients. Furthermore, public health education in DED is essential to help reduce prevalence through the promotion of behaviour modifications.
This study provides knowledge regarding the prevalence and risk factors of DED in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
干眼是一种累及泪液和眼表的多因素疾病，在全球范围内被认为是一个日益严重的公共卫生问题。
本研究旨在确定南非夸祖鲁 - 纳塔尔省一家眼科医院就诊人群中干眼病（DED）的患病率及危险因素。
本研究在南非夸祖鲁 - 纳塔尔省德班的麦考德省级眼科医院进行。
于2023年7月至2023年8月开展了一项基于医院的横断面研究。通过SPEED评分≥4且单眼泪膜破裂时间（TBUT）≤10秒或Schirmer试验2≤15毫米/5分钟来确诊。数据使用社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）28版进行管理。
DED的总体患病率为82.3%，在65岁以上人群中最高（优势比[OR]=3.17；95%置信区间[CI]：1.45 - 6.94；P = 0.04）。与DED显著相关的危险因素有年龄（P < 0.009）、全身性疾病（糖尿病[P < 0.01]、HIV[P < 0.02]、高血压[P < 0.02]）及药物（P < 0.01）。
该研究显示DED患病率较高，且随年龄增长而增加。糖尿病、高血压和HIV被确定为DED的重要危险因素。对于这些高度易感患者，常规泪液功能评估应成为评估方案的组成部分。此外，开展干眼的公共卫生教育对于通过促进行为改变来降低患病率至关重要。
本研究提供了关于南非夸祖鲁 - 纳塔尔省DED患病率及危险因素的相关知识。
