Dryness symptoms among an unselected clinical population with and without contact lens wear.
Dry Eye Questionnaire (DEQ) and Contact Lens Dry Eye Questionnaire (CLDEQ) from unselected eye care patients (including current, former and non-contact lens wearers) were analyzed to contrast dryness symptoms among patients with and without contact lenses. Contact lens wearers reported a higher incidence of intense symptoms, especially late in the day (12.7% AM versus 41.1% PM, p < 0.0001), that diminished when they removed lenses (p = 0.0001). Dryness intensity was not correlated with gender and was inversely correlated with age among contact lens wearers, differing significantly from the pattern among non-lens wearers. Contact lens related dryness differs from dry eye among non-lens wearers.
Chalmers
Robin L
RL
Indiana University, School of Optometry, Bloomington, USA. robinchamloers@mindspring.com
Begley
Carolyn G
CG
D000328:Adult; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology