Dry eye in post-menopausal women using hormone replacement therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on dry eye in post-menopausal women.


METHODS
Forty post-menopausal women with dry eye (20 patients, group 1) and without dry eye (20 patients, group 2), and planning to receive HRT (estrogen plus progesterone), were recruited as the study groups. Forty age-matched untreated women were enrolled as controls (group 3 with dry eye, 5 patients; group 4 without dry eye, 35 patients). Patients having at least one of the symptoms (dryness, itching, photophobia, foreign body sensation, and tearing) together with two of the tests with positive results for dry eye (tear film break-up time (BUT), fluorescein staining of the cornea, analysis of the meibomian gland, and Schirmer I test) in both eyes were considered dry eye positive. Hormonal assay for follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, and free testosterone was performed. Dry eye statuses in the groups were evaluated statistically.


RESULTS
Four patients with incomplete follow-up data were excluded. HRT use increased estradiol levels in the groups. Mean ages of patients (50.2+/-4.8 and 50.7+/-3.9 years, and 50.0+/-4.6 and 53.0+/-3.9 years) were similar (p=0.67). Duration of menopause in groups 1 and 2 (3.2+/-2.2 and 1.4+/-1.2 years; p=0.01), and in groups 3 and 4 (3.0+/-1.6 and 1.7+/-1.3 years; p=0.014) were different. At the third month examinations, all of the patients in group 1, and 11 patients (61.1%) in group 2 had dry eye (p=0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Duration of menopause and use of HRT may increase the incidence of dry eye in post-menopausal woman.
Erdem
Uzeyir
U
Department of Ophthalmology, Gulhane Military Medical Faculty, 06018 Etlik, Ankara, Turkey. erdemuzeyir@hotmail.com
Ozdegirmenci
Ozlem
O
Sobaci
Emine
E
Sobaci
Güngör
G
Göktolga
Umit
U
Dagli
Selim
S
D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015352:Dry Eye Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011374:Progesterone / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors
D004967:Estrogens; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol