Dry eye disease signs significantly more severe with increasing age

Corneal staining, tear breakup time (TBUT), tear osmolarity, and a composite severity score of dry eye disease (DED) signs were found to become significantly more severe with increasing age, according to a poster presented at AAO 2022.

The study included 535 patients with DED grouped according to age (<50, 50-59, 60-69, ≥70 years). There were significant differences across groups in TBUT (P = 0.01), corneal staining (P < 0.001), composite severity score of DED signs (P = 0.007), and tear osmolarity (P = 0.001).

Across the age groups of 334 women there were similar significant differences TBUT, corneal staining score, composite severity score of DED signs, and tear osmolarity that was not found in men.

Reference
Zhao M, et al. The Effect of Age on Dry Eye Clinical Signs and Symptoms in the Dry Eye Assessment and Management (DREAM) Study. Presented at: AAO 2022.