Schein O D, Muñoz B, Tielsch J M, Bandeen-Roche K, West S
Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Am J Ophthalmol. 1997 Dec;124(6):723-8. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9394(14)71688-5.
To study the demographics and estimate the prevalence of dry eye among elderly Americans.
A population-based prevalence study was performed in 2,520 residents of Salisbury, Maryland, aged 65 years and older as of September 1993. The population was derived from the Health Care Financing Administration Medicare database. After completing a standardized questionnaire pertaining to dry eye symptoms, 2,420 subjects underwent Schirmer and rose bengal tests and anatomic assessment of the meibomian glands.
In this population, 14.6% (363/2,482) were symptomatic, defined as reporting one or more dry eye symptoms often or all the time; 2.2% (53/2,448) were symptomatic and had a low Schirmer test result (< or = 5 mm), and 2% (48/2,432) were symptomatic and had a high rose bengal test score (> or = 5). Furthermore, 3.5% (84/2,425) were symptomatic and had either a low Schirmer score or a high rose bengal score, and 0.7% (17/2,420) were symptomatic and had both a low Schirmer score and a high rose bengal score. No association of symptoms or signs was seen with age, sex, or race. Although anatomic features of meibomianitis were associated with the presence of symptoms (P = .01), 76% (67/88) of the individuals with these anatomic features were asymptomatic; 10.5% (260/2,480) reported that they currently use artificial tears or lubricants.
Symptoms and signs of dry eye are common among the elderly but were not associated with age, race, or sex in this population-based sample of elderly Americans. Extrapolating to the United States population aged 65 to 84 years, the study yields an estimate of 4.3 million who experience symptoms of ocular irritation often or all the time.
研究美国老年人的人口统计学特征并估计干眼患病率。
对1993年9月时年龄在65岁及以上的2520名马里兰州索尔兹伯里居民进行基于人群的患病率研究。该人群来自医疗保健财务管理局医疗保险数据库。在完成一份关于干眼症状的标准化问卷后，2420名受试者接受了泪液分泌试验和孟加拉玫瑰红染色试验以及睑板腺的解剖学评估。
在该人群中，14.6%（363/2482）有症状，定义为经常或一直报告一种或多种干眼症状；2.2%（53/2448）有症状且泪液分泌试验结果较低（≤5毫米），2%（48/2432）有症状且孟加拉玫瑰红染色试验得分较高（≥5分）。此外，3.5%（84/2425）有症状且泪液分泌试验得分较低或孟加拉玫瑰红染色试验得分较高，0.7%（17/2420）有症状且泪液分泌试验得分较低且孟加拉玫瑰红染色试验得分较高。未发现症状或体征与年龄、性别或种族有关联。虽然睑板腺炎的解剖学特征与症状的存在有关（P = 0.01），但有这些解剖学特征的个体中76%（67/88）无症状；10.5%（260/2480）报告他们目前使用人工泪液或润滑剂。
干眼的症状和体征在老年人中很常见，但在这个基于人群的美国老年样本中与年龄、种族或性别无关。推算至美国65至84岁人群，该研究估计有430万人经常或一直经历眼部刺激症状。
