Dryness symptoms, diagnostic protocol and therapeutic management: a report on 1,200 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To report the diagnostic and therapeutic data obtained from 1,200 patients suffering from dry eye symptoms not due to Sjögren's syndrome or other auto-immune diseases.


METHODS
Schirmer test I, ferning test, breakup time, vital dye staining, brush and imprint cytology were performed; data were grouped into diagnostic profiles, and the therapy was prescribed according to these.


RESULTS
Eight diagnostic profiles were identified. Dry eye was diagnosed in 57.1% of patients; the remaining 42.9% were found to suffer from eye discomfort or conjunctivitis of different aetiologies.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjective symptoms of dryness can hide diseases other than dry eye; combined clinical and laboratory tests are requested to make a diagnosis. Our experience indicates that a therapy prescribed on the basis of diagnostic profiles provides relief in 79.1% of cases.
Versura
P
P
Centre of Biotechnological and Clinical Research in Ophthalmology, University of Bologna, S. Orsola Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, I-40138 Bologna, Italy. versura@alma.unibo.it
Cellini
M
M
Torreggiani
A
A
Profazio
V
V
Bernabini
B
B
Caramazza
R
R
D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000150:complications; D003584:Cytological Techniques; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012395:Rose Bengal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism
D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D012395:Rose Bengal